The first 218 patients admitted to the Kingston Chronic Home Care program (CHC) after its inception in October, 1975 were followed to March 31, 1981. Their average number of admissions to CHC was 2.3, and they averaged 16 months in CHC. Twenty-eight percent died before any admission to a longterm care institution; 44% were admitted to such an institution at or after last separation from CHC. The study suggests that CHC results in a significant degree of prevention or delay of admission to institutions.