Adult day care: substitute or supplement?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• The number of nonpsychiatric adult day care centers in the US increased dramatically from under 10 in 1972 to over 1,000 by 1982.
• The rapid growth of these centers has occurred without a clear, systematic approach to development or evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the haphazard development of adult day care programs.
• To assess the challenges in evaluating the costs and benefits of these programs.
• To understand the impact of adult day care on institutional care utilization.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from surveys and field visits.
• Review of information from regulatory agencies.
• Assessment of program elements for systematic evaluation.

Main Results:

• Significant challenges exist in systematically evaluating the true costs and benefits of adult day care.
• The expansion of adult day care services has not led to a significant decrease in the use of nursing homes or hospitals for impaired adults.
• Current policies need to acknowledge adult day care as a distinct service rather than solely an alternative to institutionalization.

Conclusions:

• The rapid, uncoordinated growth of adult day care necessitates better evaluation frameworks.
• Adult day care, while expanding, has not yet fulfilled its potential to reduce institutional care reliance.
• Future policy and practice should focus on systematic evaluation and integration of adult day care within the broader healthcare system.