Effects of a community-based early intervention program on the subjective well-being, institutionalization, and mortality of low-income elders.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the effects of an early interventive social service program on the subjective well-being, permanent institutionalization, and mortality risk of low-income community-dwelling elders.


METHODS
From a waiting list for community-based services, 105 "moderately at-risk" community-dwelling elders were recruited. Forty of these persons were randomly assigned to receive the intervention, and the remainder did not receive the intervention. Participants were interviewed every 3 months for 18 months. Primary outcome measures were depression, satisfaction with social relationships, environmental mastery, life satisfaction, permanent institutionalization, and mortality.


RESULTS
No significant differences in sociodemographic or health characteristics were found between the intervention and control groups at baseline. Those elders who received the intervention had significantly higher subjective well-being and were less likely to be institutionalized or die than those in the comparison group across the 18-month period.


CONCLUSIONS
The results make a strong case for the importance of community-based programs to the well-being of elders. Practitioners and policy makers should continue the search for community-based programs that are cost-effective and improve the quality of life for elders.
Shapiro
Adam
A
Department of Sociology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville 32224, USA. ashapiro@unf.edu
Taylor
Miles
M
D000368:Aged; D003153:Community Health Services; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009026:Mortality; D011203:Poverty; D011788:Quality of Life