This study use quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of the home-based services for the past four years. The purpose of this study is to examine the hypotheses, that there are differences between the old people who receive the home-based services and the old people who do not receive these services ofter controlling age, sex, religion, disease, the ability of daily living, income, and so forth.
According to the results about the homogeneity of the two groups, there was no difference in personal and social characteristics, However, in the ability of daily living, which has an important effect upon life satisfaction index, service non-recipients, were more likely to satisfy than service recipients. In addition, the findings of this research indicated that there was no difference between the two groups in life satisfaction index. We can interpret this result that the homogeneity of the two groups was ensured.
The core hypotheses, of this research that home-based services can expand social support network and improve life satisfaction were accepted or rejected. In other words, while the home-based services expanded the old people’s social support network through the activities of social workers and volunteers, these services did not offer difference in life satisfaction index between the two groups.
Considering the findings of this study, we can conclude that the current home-based services provided by social welfare centers have an effect upon increasing old people’s social support network. But these services have no effect upon improving life satisfaction index. It may be only a tentative conclusion.
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