Adult Day Services Cost Effective Person-Centered Care

Posted on

Nov 13, 2019

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As your loved one ages, they may begin to be impacted by complex medical conditions, dementia or Alzheimers Disease and other conditions that result in their needing help with their daily care.
Many adult children become caregivers of their aging parents and become sandwiched between caring for aging parent, caring for children and still trying to work to provide for those they care for. Spouses also frequently become caregivers and often neglect their own self-care as they provide loving care to their spouse.
There are options that many people are aware of including nursing home placement and in-home services. But many people are not aware of a third optionadult day services.
Adult day services provide care in a community-based facility. In Illinois, transportation to and from the facility is offered as are meals and activities throughout the day. Nurses are present to administer medications and monitor health outcomes like blood pressure and blood sugar. Advantages of adult day services include:

Adult day services are the most financially affordable option for care;
Coming out of the home to the center provides much needed socialization;
Adult children can continue to work full-time;
Caregivers receive some much-needed respite;
Family members can age in place, remaining in their own home longer;
Reduced hospital readmissions and emergency room visits.

In the State of Illinois Adult Day Services are payed for through a Medicaid waiver, meaning that if a person qualifies for Medicaid and they are determined to be in need of services, the State of Illinois may pay for the services. Unfortunately, most insurances do not yet cover adult day services.
Many families combine in-home services and adult day services to meet all the needs of a family. While a person may enjoy services in their own home, attending adult day services a few days a week helps to prevent social isolation and provides respite for family caregivers in the home.
In the stressful time of having to find solutions for your family member, knowing the alternatives available helps you better meet the needs of your loved one, the caregiver and the entire family.
Editors Note: This article was submitted by Ellen Harrington-Kane, Senior Manager for Among Friend Adult Day Care Centers. Ms. Harrington-Kane can be reached at ellen@afadc.com or 708-396-2345.

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