Baycrest Health Sciences and McCormick Dementia Services
2014 – 2017

Background

This collaboration began in March 2014 when McCormick became a second site for a Baycrest research study that was already underway.

The literature highlighting the impact of adult day programs had been primarily focused on the effects of respite for caregivers, but far fewer studies looked at the benefits of these programs for participants. Few had examined their impact on psychosocial aspects, such as depression or loneliness.

Purpose

This study had three principal objectives:

1. To describe the physical, psychological, and social characteristics of the clients who attend adult day programs and discover what strategies and combinations of services do and do not work for these types of individuals
2. To study and measure the psychosocial (i.e., mood, social engagement, and loneliness) impact of these programs on clients and their caregivers
3. To develop a toolkit appropriate for measuring psychosocial status of program clients and their caregivers
   

Study Participants and Instruments

The study had four different groups of participants: 100 existing members, 100 family caregivers, 75 new members, 75 family caregivers of new members. Existing members and their caregivers were interviewed once, new members and their caregivers were interviewed four times over the course of a year.

Findings

McCormick data collection was complete by September 2016, and data were submitted to Baycrest for analysis. The total number of McCormick interviews completed for the project was 669.

The analysis from the existing members revealed that despite the complexities, illnesses, and impairments faced by program members, they continue to live in the community. Adult day programs offer a safe, stimulating, and social environment for members while providing respite for caregivers.

The analysis of the new members and caregivers showed that over the course of a year, members’ quality of life either improved or was maintained. Further psychosocial aspects, including satisfaction with life and engagement with meaningful activities also showed positive results.

Dissemination

Papers/Articles

1. Blake, C., Forbes, D.A., Johnson, K., Crawford, S., Markova, D., Berall, A., Edelstein, B., Karuza, J. (2016). Participant and caregiver perceptions of the benefits of a dementia-specific adult day program. Senior Care Canada, 2, 18-20.

Posters/Presentations

1. Blake, C., Forbes, D.A., Johnson, K., Crawford, S., Markova, D., Berall, A., Edelstein, B., Karuza, J. (2016). A community adult day program for persons with dementia: Participant and caregiver perceptions of benefits and challenges. Alzheimer Society of Canada Symposium on Research Involving Persons with Dementia. Toronto, ON, July 22, 2016. (Poster)
2. Blake, C., Forbes, D.A., Johnson, K., Crawford, S., Markova, D., Berall, A., Edelstein, B., Karuza, J. (2016). A community adult day program for persons with dementia: Participant and caregiver perceptions of benefits and challenges. 8th Scottish Caring and Dementia Congress. Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland, April, 20, 2016. (Poster)
3. Blake, C., Forbes, D.A., Johnson, K., Crawford, S., Markova, D., Berall, A., Edelstein, B., Karuza, J. (2016). Participant and caregiver perceptions of a community adult day program for persons with dementia. 31^st International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International. Budapest, Hungary, April 23, 2016. (Poster)
4. Markova, D., Das Gupta, M., Sakran, C., Patel, J., Johnson, K., Blake, C., Crawford, S., Berall, A., Karuza, J., Edelstein, B. (2016). A measurement toolkit of outcome measures for the evaluation of community adult day programs. American Society on Aging, Washington, DC, March 20-24, 2016. (Poster)

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Crawford, CEO, McCormick Care Group, at 519-432-2648 ext. 2319, or by e-mail at scrawford@mccormickcare.ca