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Adult Day Health Care: How to Find & Assess

February 11th, 2008 by Gilbert Guide
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Gilbert Guide provides listings of adult day health care (ADHC) programs across the county, along with advice for finding the programs that will best suit your individual needs. Once you've narrowed your choices down, it's important that you meet with potential program providers in person to determine whether they're a good fit for you.

Finding an Adult Day Health Care Program

There are many local resources that can help you find adult day care if Gilbert Guide does not list programs in your area.

  • Most states require adult day care programs to be licensed; check with your state Department of Health for licensed ADHC programs.
  • Medicaid often pays for adult day health care; you can contact them for local listings. Read more about adult day health care reimbursement options.
  • The National Adult Day Care Association maintains a database of adult day and adult day health programs, but the database is not comprehensive and only has a partial list of all providers in the area.
  • Geriatric care managers (GCMs) and other social service providers are usually familiar with local programs and their reputations.

If your loved one has Alzheimer's or dementia, pick a program that specializes in dementia care. If your loved one is experiencing memory or behavioral issues, read more about the early signs and symptoms of dementia.

Assessing an Adult Day Health Care Program

Figure Out Your Needs

Ask yourself what you need from an ADHC before calling any programs. Using the following pointers as your guide, draft an itemized list of needs for the person who will be receiving care.

  • Medical Needs: Make a list of the person's medical conditions and ask whether the program accepts individuals with these medical issues. Some programs accept participants with medical conditions such as dementia or incontinence while others do not.
  • Dietary Needs: Make a list of the person's special dietary needs (i.e., needs that are tied to allergies or a medical condition). You may want to note strong dislikes as well.
  • Mobility: Does the person use a wheelchair or other mobility aid? Make a note to ask each program you call about their physical surroundings and disabled accessibility.
  • Personal Preferences: Some programs cater to specific populations. If the person's primary language is a language other than English, or he or she would be enjoy being surrounding by members of a particular cultural or ethnic group, you may want to search for programs that fit the bill.

Questions to Ask

Making some initial calls in the beginning can save you the time in the long run, ensuring that you only visit programs that you think will meet your needs. The following questions should be able to help you get a feel for how the program runs. Basics

  • What are the operating hours (and days) of your program?
  • Is there a minimum number of days per week that a participant must attend?
  • Is your program specifically for seniors? (Some programs also serve disabled and/or cognitively impaired people.)
  • What level of functioning do most participants have?
  • Do you conduct criminal background checks on employees? (The answer should be yes.)
  • What security or safety precautions do you have in place? (If it is a dementia program, ask if there are protocols in place so participants cannot wander.)
  • What is the staff-to-participant ratio? (Most states have their own mandated staffing levels, which are dependent on participants' level of functioning. California's state-mandated average is between 1:4 and 1:15.)
  • What activities and services do you provide? What is a typical day like? (For a day-long program there should be several activities as well as snacks and lunch. Try to get a list of the day's activities if you can.)

Costs

  • What is the daily cost?
  • Do you accept any types of reimbursement (Medicare, Medicaid, LTCI, VA or SSI) or will I need to pay out of pocket?
  • Is a sliding scale available?
  • Do your offer any of the following services? Is there an additional cost?
    • Beautician Services
    • Extended Hours
    • Meals
    • Occupational Therapy
    • Off-site activities
    • Physical Therapy
    • Showering/Bathing
    • Speech Therapy
    • Transportation (sometimes transportation costs are only for participants who pay out of pocket)
    • Whirlpool Bath
    • Other:_____________________________

Personal Needs

  • Ask about any of the medical conditions, mobility issues, dietary needs or personal preferences you outlined earlier.
  • Ask how the program involves family members with care plans.

During Your Visit

It's best to visit right before or after lunch so you can see the food and observe how transitions occur from one activity, such as eating, to another. A few points to pay attention to include:

  • Administration and staff friendliness
  • Staff engagement and interaction with participants
  • Staff response to participants' needs
  • Compatibility with current participants (e.g., age range, agility, ethnicity and religious backgrounds)
  • Participants' level of engagement in activities and interaction with others
  • Program's ability to address health or medical needs
  • Facility condition and smell
  • Facility aesthetics
  • Overall ambience

Posted in: Adult Day Care Services, Adult Day Services, Caregiver Support, Caregiver Support, Essential Resources, Respite

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