Evaluation of geriatric day care units: effects on patients and caregivers

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of geriatric day care on patients and caregivers. Day care patients (n = 43) were compared with an untreated matched control group (n = 40). Matching criteria were age, gender, physical and mental health status, and socioeconomic status. The mean age of both groups was 79.5 years. Data were collected at three measurement points: T1 took place during the first 10 days of service use, T2 was conducted 6 months later, and T3 took place 9 months after service use began. In addition, a short follow-up was conducted 6 months after T3. Well-being, dementia symptoms, health indicators, and activities of daily living were investigated. Individual growth curves of these patient variables were computed and analyzed with multivariate analyses of variance. The results show significant positive effects of day care on well-being and dementia symptoms. Patients in day care stabilized or improved on various measures, whereas the untreated control participants worsened. Follow-up data showed a significant decline in health in the control group in comparison with the day care users. Results concerning effects on caregivers were not that clear. Individual change parameters in subjective well-being and burden did not differ between the two groups of caregivers in the longitudinal follow-up. In a semistructured interview, however, caregivers of patients in the treatment group reported substantial positive change due to use of day care.