Organizational factors affecting growth and decline in adult day-care programs: a comparative study

Data derived from a mailed questionnaire of adult day-care providers in Illinois and from the records of the Illinois Department on Aging for fiscal years 1984 and 1985 were analyzed to determine which factors affect growth or decline in the programs, measured in terms of number of clients served and units of service provided. Initial analysis revealed that all providers under contract with the state for less than 3 years were growing, and approximately one half of the older providers had similar changes. A separate regression analysis of the older adult day care providers indicated that growth tended to be positively associated with reports of good relationships with referral agents and resource support from umbrella organizations and the larger community, and negatively associated with longevity of the provider. These findings highlight the importance of supportive interorganizational relationships for program growth.