ABSTRACT. Changes between 1992 and 2002 in the use of care by older adults after hospital discharge are examined. Data were used from four waves of the population-based Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, including persons aged 64-85 years at each wave. Admission to hospital in the past six months, use of care and dissatisfaction with care were assessed at each wave. The proportion of persons recently admitted to a hospital remained about 10%. Characteristics of those recently admitted to a hospital remained the same: they had more often serious functional limitations, multiple chronic diseases and a low level of education than those not admitted. The total amount of care used after hospital discharge remained the same, but there was an increase in the use of spousal care and a decrease in the use of professional care. Over time a larger proportion of persons was dissatisfied with the care received, in particular after a recent discharge from the hospital. It is concluded that during the implementation of improvements, specific attention should be given to the transition from hospital to home care of older people.
