Adult Day Health Services: Person-Centered Daytime Care for Older Adults

More than 53 million Americans are caregivers to someone who is ill, disabled, or aged, according to AARP. Most family caregivers perform a daily juggling act as they balance caregiving with their other responsibilities.

As more families find themselves caring for an older adult – whether it be a spouse, parent, other relative, or even a friend – many are discovering the important role that adult day health services can play in helping them manage their caregiving responsibilities.

Adult day health centers offer a coordinated program of professional and compassionate services for adults in a community-based group setting. Programs are designed to provide health and social services to adults who need supervised care in a safe place outside the home during the day. They also provide respite for caregivers, giving them a much-needed break, allowing them to attend to personal needs, run errands, rest and relax, or continue working.

A well-run adult day health program focuses on enriching participants’ lives by building on their individual interests, abilities and strengths. Most provide a full array of health support services, including health monitoring, medication management, and sometimes even physical, speech, and occupational therapies. Personal care services such as assisted showers, hair and foot care, and incontinence care are also available. They frequently offer specialized Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Some even provide or facilitate transportation to and from the center each day.

A typical day at most adult day health centers includes lively conversation and reminiscing, exercise and fitness activities, arts and crafts, music, games, cooking, gardening, woodworking, and tinkering, in a safe and stimulating daytime home-away-from-home environment. The socialization, friendships, and meaningful activities give many participants a new lease on life and something to look forward to each day.

Adult day health programs are also an affordable alternative to in-home care, enabling families to access a full range of services for a fraction of the cost. Additionally, many centers offer financial assistance through various private and government programs.

The questions below will help you determine if an adult day health program is the right choice for you and your loved one. If you answer “yes” to even one question, you may want to start considering adult day health services as an option.

1. Has your loved one recently been discharged from a hospital or skilled rehabilitation center? 2. Are you worried about their safety when you aren’t around? 3. Are you concerned about leaving your loved one alone while you work or run errands? 4. Has there been an incident or problem when your loved one was unsupervised? 5. Do you find yourself taking time off from work to care for them? 6. Would you feel better if you knew they were eating nutritious meals, getting exercise and assistance, and enjoying social activities during the day? 7. Does your loved one forget to take medications or have care needs that they cannot manage alone? 8. Has your relationship with your loved one become strained because of the demands of caregiving? Do you feel like you are spending too much time with each other? 9. Are they isolated from friends and activities they once enjoyed? 10. Would you like help caring for your loved one? As a caregiver, it’s vitally important to care for yourself so that you can effectively (and happily) care for someone else. See a checklist for choosing a quality program on page 29.