[Dementia disorders, behavior problems and the care of clients in geriatric day-care compared to residents in homes for the elderly: a cross-sectional study in eight communities in Baden].

AIM

The study aims to compare clients using institutions of geriatric day-care to residents in homes for the elderly with regard to functional impairment, dementia disorders, behavior problems and the care situation.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 17 geriatric day-care facilities in eight towns and cities in Baden examined the data for all 257 clients who received care on a given reference date. These clients were compared to a reference population drawn from all residents (N = 1,387) of 15 randomly selected residential and nursing homes in the city of Mannheim, whereby identical assessment procedures were used by qualified nursing staff.

RESULTS

The average age of subjects in both groups was around 80 years, over three-fourths of whom were women. Home residents were more limited than the clients of geriatric day-care facilities with regard to their activities of daily living, above all with regard to their mobility. The percentage of moderate to severe dementia disorders at 58.6 % was equally high in both groups. In addition, symptoms of depression and behavior problems were observed among a substantial number of the day-care clients. While the inpatient sector places greater emphasis on basic care and treatment, day-care institutions focus primarily on measures of social therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The high percentage of demented yet still mobile clients in day-care facilities indicates the particular importance of this target group when it comes to providing at least partial stress relief for family care-givers.