This study examines the baseline characteristics and changes in health status and cost of use of health services associated with use of publicly funded home support services. The analysis includes 122 people 75 years of age or more who were eligible for home support services. Over a 6-month period, one third of the sample used home support services for more than 1hr/week; these seniors had higher rates of depression and cognitive impairment, lower levels of physical and emotional functioning, and less effective coping styles than those who used fewer services. Cognitive impairment explained 17 per cent of the variation in use of home support services. At 6 months, use of home support services for more than 1hr/week by seniors with higher levels of need was associated with lower cost of use of health services and lower levels of improvement in health status. These findings suggest the need for further research to identify efficacious ways of providing home support services to this population to enhance their health status using available resources.

This study determined the effects and costs of a multifactorial, interdisciplinary team approach to falls prevention. Randomized controlled trial of 109 older adults who are at risk for falls. This was a six-month multifactorial and evidence-based prevention strategy involving an interdisciplinary team. The primary outcome was number of falls during the six-month follow-up. At six months, no difference in the mean number of falls between groups. Subgroup analyses showed that the intervention effectively reduced falls in men (75–84 years old) with a fear of falling or negative fall history. Number of slips and trips was greatly reduced; and emotional health had a greater improvement in role functioning related to emotional health in the intervention group. Quality of life was improved, slips and trips were reduced, as were falls among males (75–84 years old) with a fear of falling or negative fall history.