Who Benefits from Adult Day Care: Changes in Functional Ability and Mental Functioning during Attendance

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Abstract
This paper examines changes in functional ability and mental functioning among participants (aged 50 and over) of Adult Day Care programs in Manitoba, Canada. It compares those who improve, remain stable, and deteriorate on each of these two dimensions in terms of their condition at time 1, a host of demographic factors, subjective and social factors, characteristics of their participation in the program, and diseases as coded from their medical claims records. In doing so it explores whether or not it is possible to identify who will benefit while in the program. The results provide only a potential answer to the question, but do suggest that the ADC program is performing an important social function which is related to improved functional ability, especially among those living alone and with fewer relatives. For mental health, the findings suggest the program works in conjunction with the existing marital relationship, benefiting most those still married. Research efforts are ongoing.