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ADULT DAY SERVICE CENTERS

(11/28/15)- A question frequently asked of us relates to adult day service centers. While we do not evaluate adult day service centers, we have been glad to give some hard facts about these centers.

 In the past, these were given in individual emails. Subsequently, we have received a publication of the U.S.  Department of Health and Human Resources, NCHS Data Brief #165, dated Sept. 2014 that provided an amazing amount of statistical data that our editor thought of value to our readers.

According to the NCHS Data Brief, there are approximately 4800 adult day service centers nationwide, consisting of two categories (for-profit centers and nonprofit centers).  Harris-Kojetin et al in a publication from National Center for Health statistics reports there are 273,300 individuals who attend these day care centers daily. Interestingly, there has been a rise in the number of for-profit day care centers increasing from 27% in 2010 to 40% in 2012 suggesting that there may be money to be made in these centers.


The majority of adult day services center participants were 65 years and older. Those aged 65-84 made up 51% of those in the For-profit centers and 43% of those in the nonprofit centers. About one-third of participants in both types of centers were under 65 years of age.


Participants in adult day services centers differed by center ownership in their need for assistance with some activities.  A higher percentage of participants in nonprofit adult day services centers needed assistance with toileting (40%) compared with those in for-profit centers (32%). For assistance in eating, 22% of attendees in for-profit centers needed this service, while 29% needed it in nonprofit centers. In both types of centers, an equal amount needed assistance with walking (46% in nonprofit and 47% in for-profit centers)

A greater percentage of for-profit than nonprofit service centers screened participants for cognitive impairment and depression and offered disease=specific programs.  This resulted in fewer participants in for-profit centers (27%) with Alzheimer's disease than in nonprofit centers (37%). The for-profit centers had more depressed participants (29%) as opposed to 19% in the nonprofit centers. but had only 19% of developmental disability participants as opposed to 31% in nonprofit centers.

All these statistics could prove confusing, but we want to add one more characteristic that we think is essential in choosing an adult day service center. This relates to the type of service provided at each site. Quoting from the NCHS Data Brief #165, Sept. 2014:"More than one-half of adult day service centers provided skilled nursing, therapeutic, and social services, while less than one-half of centers provided mental health, pharmacy, and dental services. With the exception of social work services, a greater percentage of for-profit than nonprofit centers provided these services".

Choosing a adult day service center is not easy. We refer our readers to our article on choosing a nursing home as a source of further comments on this topic
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FOR AN INFORMATIVE AND PERSONAL ARTICLE ON PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS WHEN SELECTING A NURSING HOME SEE OUR ARTICLE "How to Select a Nursing Home"

Harold Rubin
updated November 27, 2015

http://www.therubins.com

e-mail: hrubin12@nyc.rr.com or allanrubin4@gmail.com

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