title: Day Care for older dementia patients: favorable effects on behavioral and psychological symptoms and caregiver stress.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of Day Care (DC) on older subjects with dementia and their caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with dementia, consecutively admitted to a DC, were compared with 30 patients, matched for age and cognitive function, who received usual home care (HC). Primary caregivers were compared as well. At baseline and after 2 months, patients were assessed for cognitive and functional status, behavioral and psychological symptoms [Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)] and psychotropic drugs use, and caregivers were evaluated for care burden [Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI)] and depressive symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for potential confounders, NPI score significantly decreased in DC group, with a reduction of psychotropic drugs prescription, whereas it increased in HC. No significant between-group difference was observed for cognitive and functional change. CBI significantly decreased in DC, but not HC, caregivers, with no significant between-group difference in depressive symptoms change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 2-month period of DC assistance is effective in reducing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia patients and in alleviating caregivers' burden.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine and Surgery, University of Florence, Italy. enrico.mossello@unifi.it
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mossello
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Caleri
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Razzi
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Bari
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantini
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tonon
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lopilato
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simoni
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cavallini
authors.forename: Niccolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marchionni
authors.forename: Carlo Adriano
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Biagini
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masotti
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013315:Stress, Psychological