The decennial census (occurring every ten years) by the US Census Bureau provides crucial policy and planning information. It is important to incorporate the nursing home population in this larger civic project, but how can nursing home administrators balance resident autonomy and privacy, administrative demands, and accurate reporting of census data. A study commissioned by the Census Bureau examined the use of administrative lists in nursing home-based census enumeration, and barriers to self-report by residents.

Source: Salari S. Ethnographic evidence of barriers to resident self-report on the decennial census in hospice and skilled nursing facilities. Seniors Housing & Care Journal; (2012). 20(1).

The National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing and Care Industry (NIC) and the Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging are bringing open access to the Seniors Housing & Care Journal in 2012, making all the articles accessible to all, free of charge. To download the articles from the 2012 journal, please visit the NIC’s website.