| Starting an adult day care business is a smart | | | | of a physician who is board certified in geriatric |
| investment for the business entrepreneur as well | | | | medicine. The services of the attached health |
| as for the senior citizens and the community it will | | | | care facility are available to the client as well as |
| serve. This article will explain the philosophy behind | | | | charting and records of client care will follow a |
| adult day care the three models of adult day care | | | | medical format. Not all medical ADC's are attached |
| client description and 10 steps towards the | | | | to a health care facility. |
| development of your own adult day care | | | | 2. The Mental Health Model - Individual counseling is |
| business. | | | | emphasized, as well as therapeutic group activities. |
| Adult Day Care Philosophy - Adult Day Care a | | | | There may also be a strong family therapy or |
| part of the long-term continuum of care for the | | | | family support group component in such |
| elderly, is guided by a specific philosophy of | | | | programs. There are currently many Alzheimer's ( |
| service: that philosophy views the individual client | | | | Memory Care) focused adult day care centers. |
| and the caregivers, whether family, friends, a | | | | 3. The Social Model - Primary emphasis is placed |
| spouse, or others, as a systemic unit sharing in | | | | on the socializing benefit of group activities. Staff |
| the total care of the client. The provider of adult | | | | may be especially alert to group dynamics from a |
| day care becomes part of that systemic unit of | | | | perspective of encouraging client socialization and |
| care offering aid and support to the individual | | | | interaction and discouraging withdrawal and |
| client and caregivers. | | | | isolation. |
| Caregivers are able to rely on the staff of the | | | | 10 Developmental Steps To Starting an |
| adult day care center to provide experienced and | | | | AdultDayCareCenter |
| respectful care for their parent, friend, or spouse. | | | | 1. Educate yourself about Adult Day Care and get |
| The adult day care provider joins with the family | | | | your state regulations. Visit a few adult day care |
| or other caregivers to provide care for the client | | | | centers to get an overall picture of a center. 2. |
| that is consistent with the care provided at home. | | | | Choose a location where you won't compete with |
| Because the care is consistent and regularly | | | | other centers and there is a need for your |
| scheduled, primary caregivers are better able to | | | | service. 3. Decide on the size of your center. How |
| plan for events in their own lives, and staff | | | | many people will you serve? 4. Decide which |
| members are able to recognize and consult with | | | | model of adult day care is best for your area. 5. |
| primary caregivers concerning client progress in | | | | Decide what services your center will provide. 6. |
| specific areas of activity and functioning. Staff | | | | Look at your finances, funding sources, potential |
| may also offer consultation, information and | | | | partners, and overall costs of starting a new |
| referral programs to the caregiver to further the | | | | business. Crunch the numbers. 7. Realize that |
| three guiding principles of an adult day care center: | | | | depending on your financials, you may not have a |
| Maintenance, Restoration and Improvement. | | | | steady income for a while. 8. Know yourself are |
| Models of Adult Day Care - | | | | you an entrepreneur, can you multi task, do you |
| Historically, there have been a number of models | | | | have business experience or medical experience? |
| and mixes of models for adult day care services. | | | | 9. There can be many ups and downs when |
| The following three are pure type models. | | | | beginning a new project. Friends and family are |
| 1. The Medical Model - The staff will include at | | | | helpful but may be your biggest critics and they |
| least one full-time registered nurse who is trained | | | | know which of your buttons to push. You will |
| in geriatric care and will have available the services | | | | need to be your biggest supporter. |