SPECIAL SECTION: SENIOR LIVING
• Can’t be safely left alone at home
• Lives with someone who works outside the home or who is
frequently away from home for other reasons
Finding the right adult day care center for your
family’s needs
The National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA)
recommends you start by asking yourself what specific services
both the senior adult and the caregiver need most. For the day
care participant, are social activities primary? Assistance with
walking, eating or medications? Mental stimulation? Exercise? As
a caregiver, is support what you need most? Some free time? Help
with transportation? Answering these questions will help you
determine which of the three main types of adult day care centers
(social, health-focused, and Alzheimer’s/dementia oriented) will
best serve you.
Where to locate adult day care centers
For assistance in finding local centers, you can try:
• Your family doctor
• Local social services or health department
• Mental health centers
• Local senior center
• Area Agency on Aging in the U.S. (Call 1.800.677.1116 for the
AAA in your area.)
• Yellow Pages listings under Adult Day Care, Aging Services,
Senior Citizens’ Services, and similar categories
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)
When to opt for an adult day care center
As a senior, it can be challenging to admit that you need help,
especially if you’ve been a highly independent person used to caring
for others all your life. And if you’re the caregiver, it may be equally
difficult to consider allowing “strangers” to care for your beloved
family member.
As with any service, the best time to start exploring what’s
available is before you actually need it. According to ElderCare
Online, you should seriously consider using adult day care when a
senior:
• Can no longer structure his or her own daily activities
• Is isolated and desires companionship
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Questions to ask an adult day care center
provider
When you contact the adult day care center(s) you’ve chosen to
consider, NADSA suggests asking the following questions:
• Who owns or sponsors the adult day care center?
• How long has it been operating?
• Is it licensed or certified (if required in your country or state)?
• What are the days and hours of operation?
• Is transportation to and from the adult day care center
provided?
• Which conditions are accepted (e.g., memory loss, limited
mobility, incontinence)?
• What are the staff ’s credentials, and what is the ratio of staff to
participants?
• What activities are offered? Are there a variety of individual
and group programs?
• Are meals and snacks included? Are special diets
accommodated?
Visiting an adult day care center
Spend a day at the adult day care center that sounds best to you,
so you can get a “feel” for the people and the environment. Also,
check out references. Talk to others who have used the adult day
care center and ask for their opinions.
You may wish to try out different adult day care centers a few
times each to see whether your experience on different days
confirms your initial impressions. Be sure to bring the following
site visit checklist with you each time.