R3 : Relation of Sociodemographics and Local Characteristics to IL Difficulty

1. R3: Relation of Sociodemographics and Local Characteristics to IL Difficulty • Team: Andrew J. Houtenville, Ph.D., and Vidya Sundar, Ph.D. (UNH) • Research Question: What personal and local factors are associated with the reporting of “independent living difficulty” -- difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping? • Data Source: 2008-2010 Pooled American Community Survey (ACS) • Key Findings (Top 5): • Overall: IL difficulty is greatest among population with cognitive difficulty, followed by ambulatory, vision, then hearing. • Age: IL difficulty increased with age within cognitive difficulty pop., but decreased with age within the ambulatory difficulty pop. • Education: Decreases IL difficulty for all difficulty types. • Age of Structure: IL difficulty peaks for structures in the 1950s and 60s, except for cognitive difficulty (90s). • Location: People living in distressed areas were more likely to report IL difficulty, especially ambulatory diff.

2. Key Implications for Policymakers and Research Gaps • Soap Box: Although not addressed directly in this analysis, the movement from institutions to SSI-supported community living, runs the risk of creating “in-home institutionalization.” • Poverty: IL difficulty is largely a poverty issue. • Structure: Housing structure matters. Homes build in the 1950s and 60s are particularly problematic. • Research 1: interventions for people with cognitive difficulty and young adults with ambulatory difficulty. • Research 2: Look for clusters of individuals with independent living difficulties not explained by personal characteristics.

3. Key Implications for Service Providersand Clinicians • Service providers/clinicians should attend to the factors associated with poverty. • Service providers/clinicians and family/friends need to attend to the independent living skills of: • individuals with cognitive difficulty and • young adults with ambulatory difficulty.

4. Key Implications for Consumers, Advocates, and Families • Statistics are a powerful form of rhetoric (argumentation). • They are used for benchmarking and monitoring broad outcomes and relationships. • Examples: Chicago Community Trust call to action. • Maps are very illustrative, and we are looking to produce them in an accessible manner.

5. “Back Pocket” Slide • Hearing Difficulty: Is this person deaf or does he/she have serious difficulty hearing? [yes|no] • Vision Difficulty: Is this person blind or does he/she have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses? [yes|no] • Cognitive Difficulty:[For persons ages 5 and older] Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions? [yes|no] • Ambulatory Difficulty:[For persons ages 5 and older] Does this person have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs? • Self-Care Difficulty:[For persons ages 5 and older] Does this person have difficulty dressing or bathing? [yes|no] • Independent Living Difficulty: [For persons ages 15 and older] Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping? [yes|no] Functional Difficulties