This study was conducted to identify efforts by hospital discharge planners to refer clients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) to nursing homes; to determine the responses of the facilities contacted; and to identify gaps in services, discharge planner practices, and relationships between characteristics of clients, care systems, and outcomes. Discharge planners in hospitals with the highest incidence of patients with HIV infection in Chicago were contacted bi-monthly to provide information on persons with AIDS who needed to be discharged from the hospital with post-hospital continuing care provision. Questionnaires requested information on demographics, diagnoses, care needed, placement, and number of days hospitalized beyond a medical need. The results revealed that, in a 3-month period, none of the 42 identified clients were admitted to any nursing home. One-fifth of the cases included referral to multiple facilities. Total placement contacts and admissions that did occur were in specialized AIDS residences. Patients were assessed as staying in the hospital for 8 days beyond acute care needs. These findings suggest that difficulties in placing persons with AIDS in care facilities have financial and quality of life costs. Long-term care of persons with AIDS must be a coordinated effort throughout the care continuum including governmental agencies, health care and social workers, and the long-term care industry. (Author/NB)