Health care for elderly Americans: evaluation of an adult day health care model.

This study was designed to analyze the cost and effectiveness of a day care program for the elderly. An experimental group of adult day care participants was compared with a control group of elderly people living in the community. The two groups were evaluated in terms of levels of physical and emotional functioning, behavioral independence in activities of daily living, institutionalization, interpersonal relationships, and re-establishment of life styles. Statistical tests of difference were used to determine if the two groups had improved or were maintained over the six-month study period (November 1973 to March 1974). The experimental group showed improvement and differed significantly from the control group in the areas of emotional functioning, self-maintenance, and interpersonal relationships. No significant differences were found in satisfaction with life styles for either group. The experimental group was somewhat, but not significantly, deficient in independence in daily living activities. Composite analysis of six combined scales indicated that the experimental group inproved in level of functioning over the study period while the control group regressed. Cost analysis of the Lexington Center indicates that adult day care services cost +12.99 per participant per day.