A CASE STUDY ON ROLES AND SYSTEMS OF DAY CARE CENTERS FOR THE ELDERLY, FROM THE POINT OF USERS'TYPES IN A MIDDLE MOUNTAINOUS AREA

Abstract

This paper clarifies total conditions of users' types of day care centers for the elderly in a middle moutainous area where medical and care support coordination are provided, and discusses on their roles and systems. Questionnaire survey were held as for users' attributions of five centers in the area, every year for 2006-2008. Conclusions are as follows;1. There are three users' types: the elderly who need physical cares, the elderly with dementia, and the elderly who are alone in daytime.2. Follows are thought as roles of the centers; places where physical care services are provided, places where they stay in daytime, and places where they have social interactions.3.Total number of users are increasing in 2-5% /year. And continuing users' attributions were not so changed. On the other hands, reasons of stopping coming to centers were death and entering hospitals.4.The system of centers in the area is consisted of an integrated day care center where rehabilitation services are also provided and several day care centers for the elderly with dementia.