Indicators of Supportive Service Need Among Older Adults in Mississippi

Abstract

Providing quality services is one of the challenges associated with the continued increase in the nation’s older adult population. Effective use of needs assessment data can be useful in assessing service need. This study measures the level of perceived need for supportive services among older adults in Mississippi. Using statewide needs assessment data, this study applies the Behavioral Model to measure the perceived need for supportive services among survey participants aged 60 and older (N = 838). Results indicate that age, race, physical health, and subjective well-being were consistent predictors of perceived need for supportive services. Results suggest the importance of understanding the factors associated with the perceived need for supportive services to more effectively plan service delivery.

Keywords

• older adults
• perceived service need
• behavioral model
• pre-disposing variables
• enabling variables
• health need variables