Prevention Within Elderly Care

In line with the increasing number of elderly in the aging population, focus has been increasing on preventing reduced functional capacity and psychological deterioration. The Danish Health Authority has therefore tested the following preventative interventions in two municipalities (Frederiksberg and Aarhus): systematic monitoring in connection with preventative at-home visits, walking groups, and finally network groups with joint activities such as cooking and story-telling.

The Danish National Centre for Social Research (SFI) has evaluated the project in which the target group was the elderly with prevention needs and potential. The evaluation is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data sources, and among other things it shows that there was inadequate recruitment of the target group for the interventions - namely elderly with prevention needs.

The main conclusion of the report is that increased focus and further measures are needed in the preventative interventions to reach and retain citizens with physical, psychological and social functional capacities.