Impact of an Area Agency on Aging on the Quality of Life among Black and Whites in a Southern S.M.S.A.

N

21

Blacks; Delivery Systems; Gerontology; Low Income Groups; Older Adults; Participant Satisfaction; Quality of Life; Racial Differences; Social Services

The Area Agencies on Aging are the primary federally funded units charged with delivering basic services to older adults. A study of 145 older adults was conducted to determine the extent and effectiveness of services provided by a southern Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to an urban, black, elderly population in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Interview results showed that blacks utilized AAA services more frequently, were more knowledgeable about all AAA services, and tended to be more satisfied with services than their white counterparts. Despite this pattern, almost half of all blacks and whites did not know about the AAA, and fewer than 1 out of 3 blacks and approximately 1 out of 10 whites actually used the services. Lower income respondents and those with less education were more knowledgeable and tended to use the services more often. The findings indicate that the expected pattern of non-minorities having greater service utilization of AAA services was not supported. (JAC)

1983

ED222841