Effectiveness of day care services for dementia patients and their caregivers

Aim. To examine the effectiveness of a dementia-specific day care centre in Hong Kong. Methods. 27 men and 63 women with dementia aged 56 to 97 and newly admitted to a dementia-specific day care centre were assessed at baseline, month 6, and month 12 using the following tools: Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), Lawton instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) assessment, modified Barthel Index (BI), modified functional ambulation category (MFAC), Berg balance scale (BBS), mini nutritional assessment (MNA), and personal wellbeing index-intellectual disability (PWI-ID). Results. 51 (57%) of the 90 participants dropped out during the 12-month study period; 23, 14, and 14 of them did so within 3 days, 6 months, and 6 to 12 months, respectively. The ZBI score for caregiver's stress decreased significantly at month 12 (t=3.41, p=0.002). The MMSE score for cognitive function and the PWI-ID score for quality of life were maintained at months 6 and 12. The MNA score for nutrition level improved significantly at month 6 (t=4.18, p<0.001). However, there was a significant deterioration at month 12 in the Lawton IADL score (t=2.66, p=0.012) and the modified BI score (t=2.79, p=0.009) for daily living ability, and the MFAC score for mobility (Z=2.95, p=0.003). The CMAI score for behavioural and psychological problems increased significantly at month 6 (t=-2.12, p=0.041). Conclusion. Dementia-specific day care centre reduced caregiver's burden and maintained cognitive function and quality of life of the dementia participants. Self-care ability, mobility and behavioural problems did not improve.