Measuring the Effectiveness of Adult Day Care as a Facility to Support Family Caregivers of Dementia Patients

This study reports findings from an evaluation of adult day care that are drawn from ANOVAs based on a comparative longitudinal design. To obtain a suitable outcome measure considering all relevant dimensions of caregiver stress, qualitative data from semistructured caregiving interviews were analyzed using content analytical techniques. Response scales were developed to assess the intensity of caregiving stress to allow for further statistical analyses. Results from the ANOVAs showed that use of day care significantly reduced conflicts between caregiving and job requirements, caregiving and family needs, and recreational constrictions. It is important to note that day care is effective in reducing specific, but not all, aspects of caregiving stress. For an adequate assessment of interventions meant to alleviate caregiving stress, the different dimensions of the concept must be considered.