OBJECTIVE: To compare day hospital to day centre rehabilitation using scales to measure mobility, activities of daily living and quality of life. DESIGN: Single blind randomized controlled trial with home assessments at baseline (twice), six weeks and three months. SETTING: Mainly rural health district. Day hospital and social services day centres in market towns. INTERVENTIONS: Day hospital treatment or day centre rehabilitation by a physiotherapist and two health support workers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: World Health Organization mobility scale scored with and without aid, Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living Scale and Nottingham Health Profile. SUBJECTS: One hundred and five physically disabled older patients living at home referred for day hospital rehabilitation or maintenance before discharge from hospital (66) or referred as outpatients (39). RESULTS: At three months there were no statistically significant differences between rehabilitation at day hospital and day centre for any of the outcome measurements. However, there were significant improvements between baseline and three months for the following subscales (mean change per six-week period (95% confidence interval)): WHO mobility subscale (with aid) -0.67 (-0.99 to -0.35); Nottingham Health Profile mobility subscale -10 (-15.5 to -4.5) Nottingham extended ADL mobility subscale +3.08 (1.78 to 4.37); Nottingham extended ADL leisure subscale +1.66 (0.96 to 2.36). CONCLUSION: There were no differences between day hospital and day centre in the outcomes measured. Day rehabilitation appeared to improve functional ability and mobility and scales reflecting these domains deserve further evaluation as outcome measures in this patient group. However, no improvement in quality of life was observed.

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