This study describes the current provision of daycare for elderly peop
le in Sweden. Daycare offers an interesting and relatively unknown fie
ld for investigation. It is necessary to provide a comprehensive pictu
re of the provision of daycare, i.e. number of daycare centres, person
nel and economic resources. In spring 1995 a survey was carried out in
a representative sample of 70 Swedish municipalities. A questionnaire
was sent to all 376 identified daycare centres in the participating m
unicipalities and 312 responded. The results show that daycare may be
categorized into two main groups and five types, according to the aims
, locations and activities offered at the centre. Converting the findi
ngs from the survey into national estimates, there are approximately 1
500 daycare units serving about 45,000 pensioners on a regular basis,
at an annual cost of 500 million SEK.