A club of friends: enrolling nursing home residents in an adult day program.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate an innovative approach to maintaining physical, cognitive, and social functioning in frail, elderly nursing home residents at risk for transfer from a minimal care unit.


METHODS
Nineteen Russian-speaking residents of the Jewish Home in San Francisco who were newly enrolled in an on-site adult day care program.


METHODS
A formal evaluation of the program employed a repeated measures design with assessments at baseline and at Months 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9. Outcomes included stability of living situation, functional status, physical and mental health, cognitive functioning, sense of well-being and quality of life, and satisfaction with the program.


RESULTS
During this period, the cohort was medically stable and, although some evidenced cognitive decline, there was little change in their functional status. Nearly all of the residents reported improvement from baseline in some aspects of their lives, with the greatest proportions reporting positive changes in social support and quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings from this evaluation suggest that activities programming using the model described here may enhance the quality of life for some nursing home residents and enable them to remain in the least restrictive, as well as the least costly, living situation possible.
Washburn
A M
AM
The Goldman Institute on Aging, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Luxenberg
J
J
Brod
M
M
Steinhauer
M
M
Katsap
M
M