What is adult day care?
There are two types of adult day care: medical and social.
Both provide a comfortable, secure place for a senior to reside
during the day, enabling them to socialize, stay active, remain
productive and enjoy an improved quality of life. Typically, the
center provides one or two meals a day. Some centers provide transportation
for pick up and/or drop off, which may or may not be included in
the cost.
The main difference between medical and social day care is that
the first model provides an array of medical professionals, which
may include on-site registered nurses, speech therapists, occupational
therapists, physical therapists, social workers and registered
dietitians.
NOTE: Day care facilities differ in the level of care they provide,
and not all are suited to care for people at all stages of Alzheimer's.
For instance, there are some day care facilities that specialize
in Alzheimer's disease along the entire continuum while others
will only accept people who are in the early stages of the disease.
Since every person with Alzheimer's experiences different symptoms
at different times during its course, it's important to find a
good "fit" between the person's level of functioning
and the day care facility's capabilities and staff expertise.
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What questions should I ask?
- Do you accept people with Alzheimer's disease? If so...
- How far into the disease will you care for them?
- Is your staff specially trained to work with people who have Alzheimer's?
- What are your limitations in terms of services provided?
- What type of activities do you provide that are designed for people with
Alzheimer's?
- How many people with Alzheimer's are currently enrolled in your program?
- How many meals are included?
- Do you accept state funding (Medicaid)?
- Is transportation included?
- What types of activities are provided?
- What are the fees?
- (For medical programs) What types of healthcare professionals are on staff?
What type of care do they provide? Is rehabilitation covered by Medicare?
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Where do I find an adult day care facility?
There are a number of resources that can help you identify an adult
day care facility near you. Your local agency
on aging is a good place to start; click on the link to find the one near
you. A database of adult day care facilities is forthcoming.
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How much does adult day care typically cost?
Costs usually range from $60 to $150 dollars per day but can vary widely depending
on the services provided, where you live and the needs of the individual.
Ask the provider about fees and find out specifically what is included in basic
fees (meals or transportation may be extra). Some facilities have sliding fee
scales, so be sure to ask when you contact them.
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How do I pay for adult day care?
Day care centers in the social model are usually paid for privately. Some private
insurance plans may cover some of the cost; check with your plan's administrator
or the facility to find out.
Medical day care services, which are usually affiliated with a nursing home
or healthcare provider, may be covered by private insurance or by Medicaid,
provided your state's Medicaid plan includes it, the person needing care is
eligible, and the facility participates. Contact your local Medicaid
office to find out. A few programs also accept Medicare if the person requires
rehabilitative surgery, such as from hospitalization, but Medicare does not
generally cover adult day care services. Otherwise, medical day care must be
paid for privately.
To learn more about the different types of coverage click below:
Medicare
Medicaid
Medigap
Learn more about home care services here: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/homecareservices.html
For a comprehensive list of professionals and services in your area, click below.
Resource Locator
The Resource Locator lets you search for providers by name, state, city, or ZIP code from a list of more than 30 types of health care professionals and services.
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