June 2017

SENIORS
Senior
Care:
The challenge of
choosing the right
facility
by Larry Schwingel
Confused by the options relating to senior care
facilities? You’re not alone. Making a choice among
independent or assisted living, a nursing home, a
senior or adult day care center, can be overwhelming.
The first step is research.
On the surface, they all seem to offer social and recreational
activities, meals, and social clubs. When visiting, ask key
questions about certifications, reputation, staff to client ratio,
background checks required, services, safety, and cost. The
answers will help you choose, but in the end, a final decision is
based on medical need.
Senior Adult Day Care
A senior adult day care center offers activities and services for
independent people 50 years of age and older. It is designed
for seniors who are mobile and capable of making their own
choices without supervision, direction, or medication monitoring.
Those needing more medical support and assistance should
look to an assisted living facility or a nursing home—depending
on the degree of debilitation. Candidates for assisted living
or nursing will generally have a mental or physical disability,
Alzheimer’s, or gradual dementia that requires specialized
professional assistance and targeted activity options.
“I equate adult care centers as a step up from home,
and a step down from assisted living,” said Andraya
Brennan, MPA, at iMatter Adult Day Center in Boynton
Beach.
“Clients are generally fairly independent but need some
cognitive assistance. It may not be safe for them to stay at
home all day, so we provide the option of providing day care for
family members so they can care for their loved one at night.”
An adult day care center offers similar activities as a senior
center, but it is more structured and supervised, adapting to
fit the needs of each participant. It can accommodate special
diets, help with medications, feeding, walking/mobility, toilet,
bathing, and health monitoring, food and/or liquid intake.
Another benefit
is the respite
it provides to
caregivers. The
main goal is to
help adults stay
active in their
community,
receive proper
day care, and
remain out
of institutions
for as long as
possible.
The cost of
running an adult
day center is higher than a senior center because of the medical
services offered. Staff members include CNAs and RNs that are
required to operate under state and agency (National Adult Day
Services Association) regulations. The nationwide average cost
for an adult day center is about $61 a day compared to $19 per
hour for home health aides (nadsa.org/consumers/overviewand-facts).
According to the Administration on Aging, the
cost of long-term care provided by adult day care is the least
expensive option now available when compared to home health
aides, homemaker health services, assisted living facilities, and
nursing homes.
Assisted Living Facilities
Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) are for seniors who can no
longer take care of themselves. Most offer assistance with
medications, activities of daily living, three meals per day in a
central dining room, and housekeeping. Private apartments
are available, with a limited kitchen area at most communities.
Most provide licensed nursing services, and the hours vary.
Numerous social activities are included, and scheduled
transportation is normally available. Some may also offer
a special unit for Alzheimer residents. Many assisted-living
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JUNE 2017