Nursing & Assisted Living: Adult Day Care
By Michele Blandino
For years, we have associated daycare exclusively with children. In recent years however, members of the so-called “Sandwich Generation” – those who find themselves simultaneously caring for young children as well as elderly parents – are learning that daycare facilities aren’t necessarily reserved for the pre-school set.
Who Benefits?
Adult daycare centers help many families bridge the gap between fully independent living and residence in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Essentially, adult daycare centers provide a safe, structured and supervised place for seniors to spend their days while their primary caregivers are at work. Designed for people who can’t – or shouldn’t – be on their own for long periods of time, adult daycare centers enable many seniors to delay, or even eliminate the need to take up residence in a nursing home.
This comes as good news for families who can’t afford to pay for a top-quality nursing home or assisted living facility. With fees ranging in the neighborhood of $40 per day, adult daycare is certainly a less expensive alternative to nursing homes or home health aides, which can cost $150 per day or more. And in some states, the day care fee may be absorbed by Medicaid or private insurance.
Evaluating Centers
Evaluating an adult daycare center is not much different from evaluating a center for a child. Before making your visits, make a list of your requirements. For instance, you should have a general idea of how many hours per day you will need the center, whether or not your relative will need transportation to and from the center, and what meals, if any, are provided.
Other considerations are the types of activities that are offered, any limitations – physical or cognitive – that cannot be accommodated, whether or not medical services are provided, and the overall atmosphere within the center.
Another very important consideration is whether or not the center is licensed. You might also want to check with your state or local health department to see if there have been any complaints registered against the center.
High Demand, Short Supply
Unfortunately, adult day care centers are in short supply nationwide. And, as our population continues to age, those that are available are filled to capacity. Similar to top-notch nursing homes and assisted living facilities, many adult day care centers have extensive waiting lists. As a result, if you think that such an arrangement may be in your or your relative’s not-to-distant future, it may be prudent to begin the application process in advance.