National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS): 1982, 1984, 1989
Investigators: Kenneth G. Manton (1989), U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services & Health Care Financing Administration (1982, 1984)

The National Long Term Care Survey: 1982, 1984, 1989 is a longitudinal study designed to provide information about the population of chronically disabled elderly persons in the United States. Three waves of interviews were conducted with nationally representative samples of persons age 65 or over who reported having a chronic functional impairment, defined as being unable to perform an activity of daily living (ADL) or an instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) for three months or more. The three waves of data collection represent interviews with 30,308 persons and include a total of 7,454 variables. The National Long Term Care Survey collected extensive data on a number of topics including cognitive ability, medical conditions, problems and help received for ADLs and IADLs, housing, health insurance, medical providers, income and assets, and personal characteristics. In addition, the 1989 wave collected extensive data from informal caregivers, unpaid caregivers who help the sample person with ADL or IADL activities. The topics in the survey of informal caregivers include demographic and social characteristics of the caregiver, the relationship between the caregiver and the impaired person, the kinds of care provided, expense and time costs to the caregiver, inconveniences and problems of the caregiver, work restrictions due to caregiving, and the caregivers feeling about caregiving.