Diverse Care Needs Assessment for Older Adults in China: A Latent Profile Analysis Study

ABSTRACT Background Grasping the nuanced needs of older adults is paramount for the efficacious provision of day‐care services. Our study sought to identify the demand patterns for day‐care services in China and to explore the underlying factors. This study aims to offer useful evidence that can refine nursing care strategies and guide policy development within day‐care settings. Methods We implemented a comprehensive electronic survey comprising 46 questions targeting older adults across nine day‐care centers in Nanjing, China. Employing latent profile analysis (LPA), we systematically examined and categorized the demand characteristics for day‐care services. This analysis was conducted using Mplus version 8.3 and SPSS version 26.0 software, ensuring a rigorous and precise methodological approach. Results Our study involved a comprehensive survey of 1016 older adults. The participants were categorized into three groups based on their demand for day‐care services: high demand ( n = 127), medium demand ( n = 197), and low demand ( n = 692). The low‐demand group exhibited higher levels of social support and better activities of daily living (ADL) scores compared to their counterparts. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that older adults characterized by male gender, advanced age, higher levels of education, receipt of support from a child, presence of chronic diseases, and lower social support and ADL scores exhibited a statistically significant inclination towards moderate to high demand for day‐care services ( p < 0.05). Conclusion The demand for day‐care services for older adults in China is intricately influenced by a complex array of interrelated factors. Tailoring service offerings to meet the varied physical and emotional needs of older adults is essential, with a particular focus on health and wellness management in day‐care centers.