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Adult Day Care: How to Find & Assess

Gilbert Guide provides listings of adult day care throughout the country—along with advice for finding the adult care programs that will best suit individual needs. It is important that after reading our information, you personally meet with potential program providers to see if it is a good fit for you or your loved one.

Finding an ADC Program

If Gilbert Guide does not list adult day care programs in your area there are many local resources that can provide you with information.

• Most adult day care services receive a license from the state so check to see if your state lists licensed programs.
• The National Adult Day Care Association does have a database of both adult day and adult day health programs, but with a limited amount of listings.
• Geriatric care managers (GCMs) along with other social service providers usually are aware of local programs and which communities they serve.

If your loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia make sure to pick a program which specializes in caring for individuals with his or her condition. If your loved one is having some memory or behavioral issues, read more about the early signs and symptoms of dementia.

Assessing an Adult Day Care Program

Figure Out Your Needs

What do you need from an ADC program? This is the question you should ask yourself before calling any prospective programs. Spend a bit of time thinking about the needs of the ADC participant.

• Medical Needs: Make a list of any medical conditions and double-check that individuals with these medical issues are accepted into the program. ADCs do not provide medical care, but some will accept participants with a medical condition such as mild dementia or incontinence while others will not.
• Dietary Needs: Make a list of any special dietary needs as a result of allergies or a medical condition. You may also want to note any strong dislikes too.
• Mobility: For individuals in wheelchairs or who use other mobility aids you will need to figure out what physical surroundings they can comfortably maneuver and what kind of accessibility the program’s building must have.
• Personal Preferences: Some ADCs cater to specific populations. Take note if your loved one speaks a foreign language or would be enjoy being surrounding by members of a specific cultural or ethnic group.

Initial Phone Call

An initial call can save you the time in the long run as then you can choose to only visit programs which you know will meet your needs. Some questions to ask include the following.

Basics:

• What days and hours does your program operate?
• Do you require a minimum number of days per week in order to be a participant?
• Is your program specifically for seniors? If not what other populations do you serve?
• 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 make certain protocols are 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.)
• What activities and services do you provide? What is a typical day like? (For a day-long program there should be several activities along with snacks and lunch. Try to get a list of the day’s activities so you can see if it is something your loved one would enjoy getting involved in.)

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?—Do they cost an additional amount?
• 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 involved family members are with care plans

During Your Visit

It is best to visit right before or after lunch so as to be able to see the food provided, but also how transitions occur from one activity, such as eating, to another. A few points to pay attention to are:

• Administration and staff friendliness
• Staff engagement and interaction with participants
• Staff response to participants’ needs
• Compatibility with current participants (Consider age range and agility along with ethnicity and religious backgrounds. Observing how participants seem to get along will also be indicative of how friendly the environment is.)
• Participants’ level of engagement in activities and interacting with others
• Facility condition and smell
• Facility aesthetics
• Overall ambience

Take the time to think about whether the program meets specific needs and preferences, caters to a specific population and how well you think you or your loved one would acclimate to being a participant in the program.

Posted in: Adult Day Services, Adult Day Services, Caregiver Support, Finding Respite, Respite

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