Choosing an Adult Day Care Center
Your first step in looking for right Adult
Day Health Care Center (ADHC) starts from checking out of what is available
in your area. Start your search with a call to your local Area Agency on Aging
or to a local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, which keeps an updated
list of adult day care centers throughout the country.
In addition to this resource for information, you can also try:
- Your family
doctor.
- Local social
services or health department.
- Mental health
centers.
- Local senior
center.
- Area Agency
on Aging (Call 1-800-677-1116 for the AAA in your area).
- Yellow Pages
listings under Adult Day Care, Aging Services, Senior Citizens' Services,
and similar categories.
In general, there are three types of adult day care centers:
- A social center, where activities and socialization are offered.
- A medical/health center, where nursing or rehabilitation services are available for people
who have come out of a hospital or who have a disease that needs to be
monitored, as well as activities.
- A specialized center that serves a specific population such as people with Alzheimer’s
or other forms of dementia.
Specialized centers may be the hardest to find, but that doesn’t mean
another type of center won’t offer the services you need. According to a 2010
report by the Alzheimer’s Association, people with Alzheimer’s and dementia
were accepted at 95 percent of adult day care centers in 2009. Some states
require centers to be licensed or certified, but the regulations vary from
state to state.
What to Expect From Adult Day
Care
In general, adult day care centers are open five days a week during
normal business hours, but some provide evening and weekend services. Programs
vary from center to center, with most offering activities, meals and snacks,
and assistance with using the bathroom and other daily living activities.
Different centers offer different programs. For example, some might have a
gardening program and others may focus on art activities.
Some centers will provide transportation; if not, be sure that your loved
one is brought inside to a staff member at the center rather than dropped off
at the curb. Otherwise, someone with Alzheimer’s could wander off.
Questions to Ask to Help You Find
the Right Center
Before you start making decisions about adult care services, talk to your
loved one, if possible. Ask him or her, what are the preferences in a center. Whenever
they can be part of the decision-making, they should be, if that is reasonable
to expect feedback from a patient based on the stage of the illness.
Once you’ve narrowed down your search to centers that you’d like to
visit, make a list of questions to ask each director. The more specific your questions
are, the better you will be able to understand how the facilities and services
fit your needs and requirements.
Spend a day at the adult day care center that sounds best to you, so that
you can get a "feel" for the people and the environment. Also, check
out references. Talk to others who have used the adult day care center and ask
for their opinions.
You may wish to try out different adult day care centers a few times each
to see whether your experience on different days confirms your initial
impressions. Be sure to bring the following site visit checklist with you each
time.
Checklist for Choosing an Adult
Day Care Facility
- Location of
facility
- Is the
facility accessible?
- Can
individual get to facility?
- Is
transportation to the facility available?
- Is there an
extra charge for transportation?
- How long has
the day care facility been in business?
- What days and
hours is the facility open?
- Is the day
care licensed by the state health department or department of social
services?
- Has the state
health department received any substantiated complaints about the care
provided in the facility?
- What is the
cost of care? Hourly, daily, or weekly? Must you commit to a minimum
amount of service, i.e., at least 2 days/week? Are all activities included
in the cost?
- Does the
facility accept individuals who:
- Are
incontinent?
- Are in
wheelchairs?
- Have memory
loss?
- Have
difficulties in speaking?
- Wander?
- Have
special dietary requirements?
- Have
behavioral problems?
- What is the
participant to staff ratio? Does this ratio meet state standards? What
professional staff is available to help with care planning and concerns?
- What
activities are provided?
- Are there
individual and group activities?
- Are the
activities stimulating? Exercise, music, crafts, memory sharing, etc.
- Are
individuals with dementia separated from other participants or included
in activities?
- Does the
facility provide other conveniences/benefits such as blood pressure
checks, annual immunizations, hair styling services, bathing, dental
check-ups, etc.?
- What is the
policy concerning late arrival or late pick-up?
- Are the meals
well-balanced and enjoyed by participants? Are meals included in the cost?
- Is staff
willing to spend time finding out what you want and need? Were the
programs and activities explained?
- Is the day
care facility clean, odorless, and pleasant to visit? Does the facility
have comfortable furniture for activities and for relaxation?
- Do
participants interact with each other? Do they seem to enjoy their time at
the facility?
- Is the staff
pleasant to the participants?
- Can the
facility accommodate the following special physical or medical
requirements:
- Dispense
medicine?
- Give
reminders about taking pills?
- Assist with
toileting or handle incontinence?
- Provide
total access and participation to wheelchair-restricted clients?
- Effectively
communicate with hearing impaired participants?
- Is financial
assistance available? Is there a sliding scale, Medicare, Medicaid, or
other funding available to help you pay the cost?
- How do they
insure safety? How are behavior problems handled? Are there specific
behaviors or care needs which would require your loved one's withdrawal
from the program?
Sources
and Additional Information:
