Centers for adult day care focus on providing elder care and companionship for senior citizens who require monitoring or assistance during the day. This can help family members or others caring for the elderly to be able to go to work, run everyday jobs, or have some personal time with the assurance that the senior citizens are being cared for and are safe. This program aims to delay or prevent the necessity of moving to a nursing home by offering alternative care, enhancing self-esteem, and setting up opportunities for socialization.

There are two types of adult day care. One type is called adult social day care, and it offers senior citizens social activities, meals, recreation, and some health-related care. The other is called adult health day care, and it offers elder care with more specialized health, therapeutic, and social services for senior citizens with severe medical disorders and disabilities and those more prone to requiring care in a nursing home. Following is a list of some services offered in adult day care centers:

• Counseling

• Education

• Evening care

• Recreation

• Health screening

• Meals

• Medical care

• Physical therapy

• Exercise

• Socialization

• Supervision

• Respite care

• Transportation

• Medical management

Adult day care centers are generally open during normal business hours. They may stand alone or can be a branch of senior centers, nursing homes, home health care agencies, religious institutions, hospitals, or schools. Those providing the elder care may monitor medications, provide meals and snacks, perform therapy, set up social activities, and organize transportation to and from the center. This has been of great benefit to the working couples who were unable to take care of their elders because of their daily busy schedule.

When searching for the right adult day care center for you or your loved one, it’s important to note that there may be vast differences among these adult care centers, so you may want to find out about each adult care center near you. Visiting the centers and talking those providing the elder care and other families who take part in this program may help you determine whether a certain facility meets your needs.

Another important factor to consider is cost, which can range from $25 to $100 per day depending on factors like the types of services provided, the location of the adult care center and the type of reimbursement offered. These costs are generally not covered by Medicare, but some financial assistance may be available through federal or state programs such as Medicaid, the Older Americans Act, and the Veterans Administration.

Contacting your local aging information and assistance provider or area agency on aging can provide you with listings and information of specific adult care centers located near to your residence. The Eldercare Locator can help you connect to these agencies. There are also some helpful websites to peruse if you’re considering assistive technology as an option.

If you’re looking for general information about adult day care and its programs, thecaringspace.com can link you to a state adult day care association. You can reach this service at www.thecaringspace.com