Adult Day Care for the Elderly

A daytime living situation for seniors outside of the home is typically called adult day care. The premise is very similar to that of day care for youngsters but is custom tailored towards the elderly demographic and takes place in a professionally managed environment. Adult day care for seniors provides a secure and safe setting during daytime hours while proving patrons with opportunities to participate in age-appropriate stimulating activities. This option is ideal for seniors who aren’t quite ready to make the transition to a full-time facility such as a retirement community or nursing home. This allows them to be around peers in a monitored day care which gives caregivers a respite period.

What Do Adult Day Care Centers for Seniors Provide?

Amenities and activities vary between senior daytime care facilities, so it’s important to find one that offers those that the attendee will benefit from and enjoy. Most offer a variety of social engagement and recreational outlets in addition to cognitively stimulating activities such as board games, quilting, educational programs, etc. Some facilities also provide age-appropriate health care services such as medication management, onsite medical care, and health screenings. Certain centers may further provide counseling and physical therapy to assist seniors with physical and emotional needs. Attending senior day care can actually help elderly attendees surpass or better cope with depression, fatigue, loneliness and declining brain function.

Types of Senior Adult Day Care

Depending on your situation and the senior’s needs, there are several types of adult day care available.

• Active Adult Day Care:  This is the best choice for seniors without special physical needs or medical issues, as the centers are designed for active seniors seeking day care with community outings, exercise classes, volunteer opportunities and socialization.
• Transitional Day Care:  Seniors who’ve recently had a surgery or injury and isn’t ready to care for themselves full-time can benefit from short-term rehabilitation at a transitional day care center where there’s supervision and assistance in the daytime.
• Congregational Day Care:  Seniors of faith can often find faith-based day care amid their community at local parishes and congregations. These centers often are located on church property.
• Palliative Adult Day Care:  Those suffering from a debilitating or chronic health issues may benefit from palliative day care where the primary objective is to improve the health of the attendee.
• Veteran Adult Day Care:  Military veterans can attend adult day care programs with their peers at local VA hospitals, state veterans homes and certain community organizations.
• Memory Disorders and Adult Day Care:  Seniors with dementia related disorders such as Alzheimer’s who are in need of a safe place to stay during the daytime can receive specialized care that may include memory training and cognitive therapy.

Considerations When Choosing Senior Day Care

Of utmost consideration is to ensure that the facility is licensed as an adult day care and is staffed with qualified personnel that can meet the needs of senior adults. Second, you it is important to find a day care that the potential attendee will enjoy and feels comfortable with. This is what makes visiting potential facilities at least twice before signing a contract or agreement so important. These visits allow you to engage with staff members and hopefully other attendees to get a feel for the places day-to-day routine. These visits are good time to obtain any information or pamphlets the center provides and to inquire about the potential costs and other pertinent questions.

• Are adults with special needs able to receive care here? — Seniors with physical or mental health issues require specialized care, as do those with disabilities, limited mobility and incontinence issues. Typically, there will be additional costs for such care, with extra payments being requested if incidents occur.
• Are meals and snacks provided at the facility? — If so, you should inquire how they handle any special dietary requirements. Can they handle intravenous or spoon feeding situations? Again, inquire about additional costs. Most facilities will allow charges to bring their own meals in daily.
• Is transportation to and from the facility provided? — Some centers offer transportation within certain distances, but often will charge an additional fee. Be sure to ask about their driver’s history, insurance coverage, and any liability policies in the instance that an accident occurs with seniors on-board and injuries result.

How Much Does Adult Day Care Cost?

Adult day care for seniors is one of the most affordable senior living options because it typically only provides low-impact types of services as opposed to nursing or assisted living services. The cost of senior day care will vary depending on the city where the facility is located, the programs offered there, and whether or not your loved one has special care needs. Nationwide, adult day care can range from $25 to $100 daily, depending on the necessary level of care.

Paying for Adult Day Care

• Medicare:  While all seniors are afforded Medicare, this form of coverage does not cover any portion of adult day care services for seniors.
• Private Insurance:  Depending on your coverage, adult day care may cover some or part of out-of-pocket expenses. However, many policies are limited and will only cover certain portions of those costs.
• Medicaid:  State funded Medicaid typically offers a certain level of coverage concerning adult day care centers. However, this program is only available to low-income applicants that qualify for the coverage.
• Veteran’s Benefits:  Veterans who enrolled in the Standard Medical Benefits Package with the VHA should qualify for adult day care services as long is space is available in their facility and the senior has a qualifying clinic need.
• Self Payment:  If none of the aforementioned options are available to you, self payment is always an option for adult day care services.

Is There Adult Day Care Near Me?

You can find options for adult day care in just seconds by entering your zip code or city into our search feature. There, you can peruse facility reviews, comprehensive profiles, see cost estimates, and get more information about senior care in our extensive library of videos, and interviews. Prefer to speak to a representative to assist you in finding the right senior adult day care near you? Contact us on our assisted living helpline.