Adult Day Care Center

Adult Day Care Center

Adult day care centers are cheerful facilities that provide activity, care and companionship to elderly seniors who cannot manage on their own or are secluded and lonely.

Adult day care fills an important care gap for family members who need to work during the day or want a break from continuous caregiving.

Adult Day Care

When it comes to adult day care centers everyone reaps the benefits. These facilities allow participants to leave the comfort of their own home for unthreatening, sheltered and supervised surroundings. Once there, seniors can take advantage of a variety of fun and educational activities designed to improve their mental and physical health. Read more about adult day care…

Elderly Day Care: A Great Way To Spend The Day

Elderly day care centers provide a safe, supportive group environment for seniors who need care and/or assistance with personal tasks during the day. These centers provide relief to caregivers and family members who are caring for an elder in their home. There are more than 4,500 elderly day care centers
currently operating across the country, three-quarters of which are non-profit and/or public. Learn more about elderly day care…

Elderly Day Care: A Great Way To Spend The Day

Elderly day care centers provide a safe, supportive group environment for seniors who need care and/or assistance with personal tasks during the day. Day programs for elders are usually staffed by a nurse, a geriatric recreation specialist and a number of personal support workers.

These centers provide relief to caregivers and family members who are caring for an elder in their home, as well as offering the senior a chance to get out of the house, socialize and participate in fun activities with others. There are more than 4,500 elderly day care centers currently operating across the country, three-quarters of which are non-profit and/or public.

Who Attends Elderly Day Care?

Generally men and women aged 65 and older are eligible to attend elderly day care. According to the National Adult Day Services Association, the average participant in senior day programming is 72 years old, and usually lives with a spouse, adult children or other friends or family members.

Approximately half of all participants in elderly day care have some type of cognitive impairment such as memory loss, and many of these seniors need support with activities of daily living such as personal hygiene and meal preparation.

Where Are Elderly Day Care Centers Located?

Elder day care programs are typically located in nursing homes, community and senior centers, hospitals, schools and churches. Other locations include centers in shopping plazas, rehabilitation centers and private homes.

Day programs usually operate Monday through Friday during the day. However, some facilities may offer evening, holiday and weekend programming to accommodate caregiver schedules.

Adult Day Care

Adult day care centers have been providing care and companionship to seniors for over 30 years. These facilities cater to individuals who cannot manage without help or who are secluded or lonely. They also serve as a form of respite for this country’s nearly 50 million caregivers.

Deciding to send your loved one to an adult day care center is difficult. A caregiver’s feelings of guilt and failure to provide for their loved one can make it even more agonizing. So, how do you know if it’s the right thing to do? Families should give serious consideration to the idea if:

  • The person is unable to organize or manage their everyday activities
  • Their caregiver works outside the home or travels frequently
  • They would benefit from being around other people
  • The person is physically or mentally challenged but 24/7 supervision isn’t needed
  • They are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease
  • It is unsafe for them to be left alone

Benefits of Adult Day Care

When it comes to adult day care centers everyone reaps the benefits. These facilities allow participants to leave the comfort of their own home for unthreatening, sheltered and supervised surroundings. Once there, seniors can take advantage of a variety of fun and educational activities designed to improve their mental and physical health.

These activities include:

  • Arts and crafts
  • Sing-alongs or storytelling
  • Bingo, cards or other mentally challenging games
  • “Sittercise” (stretching exercises performed while sitting)
  • Field trips
  • Holiday celebrations
  • Discussion groups

Staff administered medications, help individuals improve or preserve their degree of independence, provide physical and speech therapy, and assist with performing activities of daily living. Only individuals who are continent and ambulatory are allowed to participate. Canes, walkers and wheelchairs are permitted.

Equally important, adult day care centers accord caregivers a welcome break from the stress of what oftentimes is a round-the-clock job. Just a few hours away from constantly caring for a family member can re-energize a person. Caregivers can enjoy some time for themselves without feeling guilty while recharging their physical and emotional batteries.

What Types Of Services Are Provided?

Depending on the location, the following services may be included with elderly day care:

Snacks and meals during the day.

Personal care support, such as personal hygiene and grooming.

Medication monitoring and administration.

Social activities.

Supervision of seniors who may wander, such as those with memory impairments.

What Are The Benefits Of Elderly Day Care?

Many seniors enjoy the social interaction with both the staff and other participants that elderly day care provides, and the therapeutic activities can be beneficial for both physical and mental health.

Since most participants in these programs live in the community, either at home or with a family member, elderly day care services are an important part of preventing long-term institutionalization of seniors.

Caregivers often enjoy the respite they receive by having their elderly parent attend a day program, allowing the caregivers to work, take care of their children or simply relax knowing that their parent is safe during the day.

How Much Does It Cost?

The costs for elderly day care are usually charged on a daily basis, with fees ranging from $20 to over $100 per day depending on the services, location and funding model. This is generally much less than is charged for in-home care.

Medicare usually does not cover the cost for senior day programs, which can make paying for elderly day care difficult for some seniors and their families. However, financial assistance may be available through subsidies or other sources. These may include veterans benefits, private insurance, government funding and sliding-scale fee programs.

Written by senior housing staff writer.

 Adult Day Care Costs

Families can expect to pay between $25 and $70 per day, depending on what services are offered.

Most adult day care centers provide transportation. Fifty percent of those facilities do so at no cost, while others may charge per trip or by total miles. Meals often are included and the majority of them have full- time nursing services on site.

Many centers employ a sliding fee scale, which adjusts payment based on a family’s income and their ability to pay. Adult day care costs are not covered by Medicare, Medicaid, however, will cover most-if not all-of the expenses for licensed adult healthcare settings and Alzheimer’s-related programs for
families with limited incomes and assets.

In some cases, private medical insurance policies will pay part of the costs when licensed medical professionals are on staff. Other payment options include long-term care insurance, dependent-care tax credits, scholarships and financial assistance, such as through the Older Americans Act and the Veterans
Administration.

Resources for Adult Day Care

For more information on adult day care centers visit these websites:

Written by home care expert Marv S. Yamin–Garone.5