The effectiveness of adult day services for disabled older people

Adult day care has attracted a considerable amount of attention among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. However, there have been few efforts to synthesize empirical results. This paper reviews research that determines the effectiveness of adult day services in improving client functioning, alleviating caregiver stress, and delaying nursing home placement. In addition, the strengths and limitations of the research are considered. This paper concludes with a discussion of policy-relevant issues that must be addressed when determining the effectiveness of adult day services.