SPECIAL SECTION: SENIOR LIVING
• Centers that serve a large number of participants may also
employ a driver, secretary, and accountant.
Source: National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA)
Adult day care center vs. adult day health care
A social adult day care center differs from adult day health care,
which usually requires a health assessment by a physician before
someone is admitted into the program. Adult day health centers,
which typically use the term “Adult Day Health Care” (ADHC)
in their names, often provide physical, occupational, and speech
therapy, and are usually staffed with an RN and other health
professionals. A third type of day care provides social and health
services specifically for seniors with Alzheimer’s or a related type of
dementia.
Services provided by adult day care centers
A well-run adult day care center’s goals will focus on enriching
the participants’ lives, building upon their skills, knowledge, and
unique abilities and strengths. Below are some of the activities that
may be available:
• Arts and crafts
• Musical entertainment and sing-a-longs
• Mental stimulation games such as bingo
• Stretching or other gentle exercise
• Discussion groups (books, films, current events)
• Holiday and birthday celebrations
• Local outings
Some centers offer programs that include children. Besides
recreational activities, some adult day care centers provide
transportation to and from the center, social services including
counseling and support groups for caregivers, and health support
services such as blood pressure monitoring and vision screening.
Benefits of adult day care
Almost Family, an adult day care center provider in both the U.S.
and Canada, summarizes the benefits of adult day care well: “Adult
day care offers a win/win situation for everyone in the family—not
only the client or member who attends the program, but also for the
family member who has primary responsibility as caregiver. Adult
day care provides a much-needed respite for the caregiver, affording
a break from the physical demands and stress of providing roundthe-clock care.”
For the participant, an adult day care center’s benefits can be
extensive:
• A safe, secure environment in which to spend the day
• Enjoyable and educational activities
• Improvement in mental and physical health
• Enhanced or maintained level of independence
• Socialization and peer support
• Nutritious meals and snacks
Is an adult day care center right for my loved
one?
Good candidates for adult day care centers are seniors who:
• Can benefit from the friendship and functional assistance a day
care center offers
• May be physically or cognitively challenged but do not require
24-hour supervision
• Are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease
• Are mobile, with the possible assistance of a cane, walker, or
wheelchair
• Are continent (in most cases)
40 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Sewickley