Assessing Dynamic Capabilities in Adult Day Services: A Pilot Study for Measurement Development

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Organizational Studies

Background:

• Current research on Adult Day Services (ADS) emphasizes individual outcomes, overlooking organizational factors influencing service quality and accessibility.
• There is a growing need to assess the adaptive capacity of ADS to serve an increasingly diverse aging population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a structured tool for assessing the dynamic capabilities of community-based Adult Day Services (ADS).
• To provide a resource for researchers and providers to enhance ADS quality and accessibility.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method approach was employed, integrating literature reviews, expert consultations, online surveys, and interviews.
• A theory-driven set of measures was formulated based on the gathered data.
• Preliminary analyses were conducted to evaluate the scale's performance and validity.

Main Results:

• A novel, theory-driven tool was developed to assess the dynamic capabilities of ADS.
• Preliminary findings indicate the scale's potential for assessing and enhancing ADS organizational capacity.
• The study provides a foundation for further refinement and validation of the assessment tool.

Conclusions:

• The developed measure offers a valuable framework for evaluating the dynamic capabilities of Adult Day Services.
• This tool can aid in improving the quality and accessibility of ADS for a diverse aging demographic.
• Further validation is recommended to establish the measure's comprehensive utility for researchers and practitioners.