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Typically, Adult Day Care facilities are designed to provide a form of respite to family caregivers. Either adult children who are caring for a parent and still working or a spouse who is advanced in age and may need a break from being the sole caregiver.

In general, they provide daycare services, usually during regular working hours 9a-5p with some facilities having extended evening & weekend hours.  Most Adult Day Cares are geared toward providing socialization and are mostly a “sitting” service. There are some Adult Day Care facilities that provide medical care the majority do not.  Adult Day Health Care Centers are different than Social Adult Day Care Center, as Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) usually require a physician’s assessment before someone is being allowed to attend the program. They are staffed with an RN and can also provide physical, occupational, speech therapy when indicated.  There are also some Adult Day Care centers that focus on a particular group of individuals., like those with Dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The types of services and activities offered in each Day Care Facility may vary.  Many Adult Daycares provide a variety of activities, including arts & crafts, games. gardening, music appreciation, exercise program, movies to name a few.  The degree of benefit to each individual is largely dependent on the individual’s function & ability to interact. In general, these facilities do not provide much assistance with personal care, like bathing, dressing & grooming.

The National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA) offers some overall guidelines in its Standards and Guidelines for Adult Day Care, but state laws and regulations may be more or less restrictive and vary from state to state.

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