Older Black and Hispanic Americans are far more likely than their white peers to struggle with basic daily tasks at home and to go without the help they need, despite federal efforts to expand community-based care. About 1 in 3 Black and Hispanic older adults report difficulties with activities such as showering, dressing, or preparing hot meals, compared with about 1 in 5 older white adults.
Black and Hispanic adults ages 55 and older who need help are consistently about 1.5 times more likely to lack corresponding care support than white adults, even though they are no more likely to receive paid help. Instead, they rely heavily on family and friends, a pattern researchers warn can take an “underrecognized toll” on caregivers’ physical and emotional health as they juggle jobs and caregiving responsibilities.
Income and place deepen these racial and ethnic disparities. The analysis shows that racial gaps in unmet need shrink among lower-income older adults, not because care is equitable, but because unmet need is high across the board. Location adds another layer of inequity: older adults with disabilities living in disadvantaged neighborhoods with higher poverty, unemployment, and public assistance use are more likely to experience missed medications, skipped meals, or being stuck in soiled clothing or unable to get out of bed because no one is there to help.
Researchers link state policies that limit the availability and generosity of health and social services to higher risks of social isolation and poorer emotional well-being. For many older adults of color, who already face disproportionately high levels of disability and are more likely to live in disadvantaged neighborhoods, these structural factors compound obstacles to care.
See: “Among Older Americans, Black and Hispanic People Are Much More Likely to Need Help at Home—and Go Without It” (March 28, 2024)