Correlates of improvement in the care need levels of older adults with disabilities: a two-year follow-up study.

The study was observational, so it cannot show that better cognition, self-care, bladder and bowel control, or social cognition caused improvement in care need level. All participants received day-care services that included bathing, lunch, physical and cognitive recreational activities, and physical exercise, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. Only people who could walk and who used day-care services continuously were included, so the results may not apply to non-ambulatory older adults or people with dementia. The physical performance tests were limited, and motor function at baseline was not associated with improvement. Care need level could be followed for only two years because the maximum length of the care need level was two years.

There was no funding for the research, and the authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that improving cognition, self-care, bladder and bowel control, or social cognition will cause better care need levels. This study followed people who were already receiving day-care services and reports associations, not the effect of a treatment.