Adult Day Services
Empowering Older Adults While Offering Peace of Mind to Caregivers
As adults age, they may benefit from being a part of organized activities and health services that keep them active and safe. Adult day services centers provide stimulating, supervised places for older adults to spend their days while also offering their caregivers respite and peace of mind.
Older adults who are good candidates for adult day services include people who:
- May be isolated or lonely
- May need assistance with medication administration, eating, or personal hygiene
- May have physical or cognitive challenges, but don't require 24-hour supervision
- May be coping with early stage Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other memory loss
A variety of activities will be available to keep clients engaged and moving. These may include:
- Arts and crafts
- Live music
- Mental stimulation games such as crossword puzzles
- Exercise
- Discussion groups
- Trivia
- Outings to museums, parks, and sporting events
Some adult day centers offer healthcare management services. These services may be provided by a registered nurse or other medical professional and may include:
- Medication management
- Monitoring of health conditions
- Mental stimulation games such as crossword puzzles
- Regular physical assessments
- Dietary counseling
- Coordinating health services
Adult day services offer a win/win situation for everyone in the family.
Deciding that your family needs help caring for a loved one can sometimes be difficult. Establishing trust with the people caring for your family member is crucial. To find the best adult day services program for your family, you may want to ask each center you are considering the following questions:
- Who owns or operates the agency?
- How long has it been serving older adults?
- Is it licensed by the state as an adult day services center?
- What are the days and hours of operation?
- Is transportation to and from the center provided?
- Which conditions are accepted (e.g., memory loss, limited mobility, incontinence)?
- What are the staff's credentials?
- What is the ratio of staff to clients?
- What activities are offered?
- Are meals and snacks included? Are special diets accommodated?
- Are medical services offered?
- Are physical, speech, and occupational therapies available?
Next, spend a day at the center that sounds best to you, so that you can get a "feel" for the people and environment. You may want to go back a few times to confirm your initial impressions. Adult day services can help older adults and their caregivers get the most out of every day.