A COMPUTERIZED DATABASE IS TO BE DEVELOPED TO MANAGE AN INTERVIEW SERVICE FOR CLIENTS OF AGENCIES OFFERING SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY.

A COMPUTERIZED DATABASE IS TO BE DEVELOPED TO MANAGE AN INTERVIEW SERVICE FOR CLIENTS OF AGENCIES OFFERING SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY. CASEWORKERS, PROMPTED BY THE DATABASE, WILL PERIODICALLY PHONE CLIENTS IN ORDER TO CHECK THEIR ONGOING HEALTH AND SOCIAL STATUS, TO RELAY TIMELY HEALTH INFORMATION. THE RESULTING PRODUCT WILL BE A COMPUTER PROGRAM AND A PROCEDURE FOR ITS USE WHICH SHOULD ALLOW MORE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO THE AGED AS WELL AS A MEANS FOR COLLECTING LONG TERM HEALTH RELATED STATISTICS IN THIS POPULATION. DURING PHASE I, AN EXISTING DATABASE SYSTEM WILL BE MODIFIED TO PROMPT THE INTERVIEWS AND APPROPRIATELY MAINTAIN THE DATA TO BE COLLECTED. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE STAFF OF A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL GERIATRIC SERVICE, THE SUITABILITY/ACCEPTABILITY OF THE SYSTEM AND THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE USED WILL BE EXAMINED IN A GROUP OF OUTPATIENTS CURRENTLY FOLLOWED BY THAT SERVICE. IN PHASE II THE SYSTEM RESULTING FROM THE FIRST PHASE WILL BE TESTED BY TWO AGENCIES PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY, ONE LOCATED IN A CITY IN MASSACHUSETTS THE OTHER IN RURAL VIRGINIA. A COMPARISON WILL BE MADE BETWEEN THIS SYSTEM AND EXISTING METHODS OF EVALUATING THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF THE CLIENTS OF THESE AGENCIES.