Adult daycare center

An adult daycare center is typically a non-residential facility that supports the health, nutritional, social, and daily living needs of adults in a professionally staffed, group setting. These facilities provide adults with transitional care and short-term rehabilitation following hospital discharge.[1][2] The majority of centers provide meals, meaningful activities, and general supervision. The care provided is often a social model (focusing on socialisation and prevention services) or a medical model (including skilled assessment, treatment and rehabilitation goals)[1]  provided in order to improve participants health and guide their progress in the right direction.

Purpose and Overview

Adult day care centers primarily focus on providing care for people with a specific chronic condition, including: Alzheimer's Disease  and related forms of dementia; additionally, these services may be available for any adult with disabilities and also the elderly population. Numerous centers maintain a nurse on-site and devote a room for participants who require their vital signs to be checked and evaluated regularly; or needs other health services nurse during their visit. Facilities may also provide transportation and personal care including support groups for caregivers.^[1][3]

Attending an adult daycare center, can prevent people from needing to be re-hospitalised and may delay their admission to residential long-term care. For participants, who would otherwise stay at home alone, social stimulation and recreational activities have been known to improve or maintain physical and cognitive functions. The more severe the disease is the greater the burden will be on the caregiver. Therefore, 19.1% of caregivers with clients made use these services. Adult daycare centers may be able to provide respite care, enabling caregivers to work or have a break from their caregiving responsibilities.[3][4]

These facilities are beneficial to many as, the activities accommodate stimulating interaction with other people which has been known to improve the participant's health and emotional well-being. All certified adult daycare centers are monitored and staffed for the protection of participants as well as being a helping hand for new people having trouble connecting with others or do not feel comfortable in certain environments. This program aims to build up confidence and ability to maintain an independent lifestyle along with improving physical and mental health.

Another important aspect of an adult daycare center include the information about healthy diet plans and exercise regimes which is suitable for certain people. This can help improve health as well as some people lose the ability to keep up a good stable lifestyles and retain them. Especially after participants coming from rehabilitation or dementia wards, who may forget what they have or have not done a particular day. This introduces participants to new activities and may spark a new interest or hobby that they may like to pursue and discover more about.

Adult day care centers worldwide

Adult day care centers have grown over the last few decades because the health services available, currently surpass those of any other time, in both service and required care. As adult daycare centers are becoming more of a demand, more locations are getting involved primarily in the US, where over fifty states participate in this program to some degree. This is largely due to the difference in name across different countries. Therefore, under the specific name of an ‘adult day care’, the US holds the majority of research due to other countries calling these facilities by numerous different names, for example: Australia and some European countries use the term ‘respite’ or ‘community care’ more commonly where others may use community outreach, nursing homes or support groups.

The main aim of an adult daycare center, is to provide quality care and enriching interaction with other participants. This will enhance participants skill and knowledge levels while engaging them in fun active programs to suit them and their abilities. Some activities include: Arts and crafts, music, games (bingo, scrabble), exercise regimes (yoga, pilates), interest discussion (books, films), general socialisation and conversations intended to form friendly relationships.

Australia

Adult day care centers in Australia, are designed to promote independence and free thinking for people with disabilities, aged adults or people with diverse linguistic backgrounds. The purpose of this is to introduce them back into normal social environments, which are monitored by staff, to enable a new experience for participants by providing a forum to gain new friends and skill sets.

There are many facilities in Australia that provide this program, however Australia expresses the term ‘respite’ or ‘community care’ more commonly. In Western Australia alone, there are 23 facilities branching from Joondalup through to Mandurah, of these: 13 provide a residence for the elderly people, two focus on people suffering from Huntington's Disease and the remaining eight facilities are dedicated to younger people with disabilities and rehabilitation patients. In Australia, the cost of a day at an adult day care center, currently stands between $25 to $70 (AUS) depending on the needs and requirements of a particular person. In addition there are facilities that charge an hourly rate for non residential participants who may come for the activities or social interaction, these prices generally range from $5 to $15 (AUS).

United States

In 2013 more than 5,000 adult day centers were operating in the United States, providing care for more than 260,000 elderly Americans each day. 72% of centers were operating as nonprofit organizations, and 16% were affiliated with the public sector.[5] Daily fees may be less than a home health visit and half the cost of a skilled nursing facility, but vary depending on the services provided.[5] Funding comes from participant fees, third party insurance, and public and philanthropic sources.[5]

According to the 2010 MetLife National Study of Adult Day Services, US day care centers have one direct care worker for every six participants. Nearly 80% of adult day centers have a nurse on staff, nearly 50% have a social worker on staff, and approximately 60% offer case management services.[5] Industry research suggests centers with higher staff-to-patient ratios provide more individualized, person-centered care.[3][5]

Conclusion

An adult daycare center is a facility that is in becoming more of a demand, as there are more and more people needing assistance and guidance to enter the real world once again after injury, illness, addiction or simply due to old age. With these programs in place, people have a much better chance of achieving their goals and returning to their former lives or instead, creating a better one.

See also

• Elderly care
• Assisted living
• Respite care

Resources

- Brown, E. L., Friedemann, M., & Mauro, A. C. (2014). Use of adult day care service centers in an ethnically diverse sample of older adults. Journal of Applied Gerontology,33(2), 189-206. doi:10.1177/0733464812460431 - McCann, J. J., Hebert, L. E., Li, Y., Wolinsky, F. D., Gilley, D. W., Aggarwal, N. T.. . Evans, D. A. (2005). The effect of adult day care services on time to nursing home placement in older adults with alzheimer's disease. Gerontologist,45(6), 754-763. doi:10.1093/geront/45.6.754 - Zarit, S. H., Stephens, M. A. P., Townsend, A., & Greene, R. (1998). Stress reduction for family caregivers: Effects of adult day care use. Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 53(5), S267-S277. doi:10.1093/geronb/53B.5.S267

- Georgiou, J., & Hancock, P. (2009). Assessing and improving quality of life indicators and assessments: A case study of an adult day care centre. Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management, 4(2), 46-56.

External links

• US National Adult Day Services Association
• Adult Day Care Services: Finding the Best Center for Your Needs
• About Brightwater
• Adult Day Care Directory with Reviews and Ratings