Impact of adult day service on long-term care placement: A scoping review

Cognitive decline and dementia account for the highest number of cognitive disabilities, functional limitations, chronic healthcare conditions, and long-term care needs among older adults aged 65 and older in the US. The optimization of public health policies and advances made from gerontological research have resulted in a steady increase in the number of older adults 65 and above, which makes the risk of cognitive decline and dementia higher. The use of interventions like adult day services (ADS) may delay placement into long-term care homes among older adults living with dementia and other cognitive impairment-related disabilities. The purpose of this scoping review study was to address the research question: What impact do adult day services have on long-term care home placement for people living with dementia? Electronic searches were performed using six databases for sources published between 1998 and May 2024. A total of 150 citations were found. After screening titles and abstracts, full-text reviews were completed for eight articles. Of these eight articles, only two articles addressed the research question directly and reported increased risk for placement. With very few recent studies on the impact of ADS on long-term care placement, more research is needed to draw firm scientific conclusions on the benefit of ADS, and these future studies should include the perspectives of people living with dementia, family caregivers, and ADS providers.