Access Barriers to and Unmet Needs for Home- and Community-Based Services Among Older Korean Americans

This cross-sectional survey study of 146 caregivers of older Korean Americans explored access barriers to and unmet needs for home- and community-based services (HCBS) programs (respite care, adult day care, personal care, home health, housekeeping, and transportation). Most often reported access barriers were lack of awareness and care recipient refusal. Predictors of unmet needs varied depending on the type of service, but included caregiver gender, relationship, education, caregiving duration, Medicaid coverage, English proficiency, caregiver self-efficacy, care recipient functional dependency, cognitive impairment, and caregiving hours. This study highlighted unmet needs for HCBS in Korean American communities, pointing to the pressing need for a collaborative effort to develop plans that modify and expand HCBS programs for older Korean Americans.