Question

As part of your internship, you will be assigned this term to an adult day care center. You are only familiar with child day care centers so you decide to do some research before you start your internship.

ACTIVITY

Perform an Internet search on adult day care centers in your area and develop an information report to share with your classmates.

Answer 1

Adult day care is a planned program of activities in a professional care setting designed for older adults who require supervised care during the day, or those who are isolated and lonely. Adult day care centers enable seniors to socialize and enjoy planned activities in a group setting, while still receiving needed health services. At the same time, they offer family caregivers respite from caregiving duties while knowing that their loved one is in a safe place.

Services vary between facilities, including the level of care offered. While one type of center focuses mainly on social and recreation services, with a few health-related and personal care services, another type will provide more comprehensive medical and therapeutic services. These could include physical, occupational, or speech therapy, for example, or medical services administered by a registered nurse or other health professional. Finally, a third type of facility will offer specialized services for adults with a specific health condition, such as dementia or a disability.

Adult day care centers in my area tend to operate during daytime hours, Monday through Friday, although some services may be available in the evenings or at weekends. Whatever the range of services, the intent is primarily two-fold:

To provide older adults an opportunity to get out of the house and receive both mental and social stimulation, as well as the continuing care they need.

To give caregivers a much-needed break in which to work, attend to personal needs, or simply to rest and relax.

Whether you’re looking at day care services for yourself or an older adult you’re caring for, these tips can help you find the center that best fits your needs.

Services provided by adult day care centers

A well-run adult day care center’s goals will focus on enriching participants’ lives, building upon their skills and strengths, and providing lots of social interaction. Each facility differs in terms of features, but services may include:

Social activities. Planned activities tend to be tailored to the participants’ abilities and health conditions, but may encompass such things as arts and crafts, musical entertainment and sing-a-longs, mental stimulation games such as bingo, stretching or other gentle exercise, discussion groups (for books, films, or current events, for example), holiday and birthday celebrations, and local outings.

Nutrition. Day care centers provide seniors with nutritious meals, including those that accommodate special diets, along with snacks.

Personal care. Center staff can help with the activities of daily living such as grooming, toilet hygiene, walking, and feeding.

Health services. These may can vary from medication dispensing, blood pressure monitoring, hearing checks, and vision screening, for example, to symptom management and more intensive medical or therapeutic services.

Transportation. Some adult day care centers provide transportation to and from the center and for any local outings.

Services for caregivers. Some centers may provide counseling, support groups for caregivers, help for care planning, and caregiving education.

Some centers even offer pet therapy or programs that include children. The Friendship Center in California, for example, developed The GOLD Project where older adults are encouraged to visit local classrooms and share their life experiences with the children, educating and enlivening both groups in the process.

Staffing of adult day care centers

Though each adult day care center is staffed according to the needs of its participants, most programs operate with:

Activity staff, usually an activity director and assistants

Program assistants who aid with personal care

A social worker

A registered nurse or licensed practical nurse

A center director

Centers that serve a large number of participants may also employ a driver, secretary, and accountant