Adult Day Services
Information for Minnesota Lawmakers
What are Adult Day Services?
Adult day services are community-based group programs designed to meet the needs of functionally and/or cognitively impaired adults through an individual plan of care. These structured, comprehensive programs provide a variety of health, social, and other related support services in a protective setting during any part of a day, but less than 24-hour care. Adult day centers generally operate programs during normal business hours five days a week. Some programs offer services in the evenings and on weekends.
How do Adult Day Services Help Working Families?
Adult day services allow chronically ill people to continue living at home and still receive needed care. They also offer caregivers a necessary respite and allow them to continue working.
- National research on caregivers reports almost two-thirds (64%) are employed, balancing their own work schedules with their caregiving duties and the needs of their own families.
- Studies of working caregivers reveal the toll taken by the “juggling act,” and how caregiving can have a negative effect on job performance and advancement. Many report having to leave the workplace or step down to part-time work, with a detrimental effect on incomes and retirement savings.
- As family caregivers will continue to provide the bulk of community-based care in the future, support and respite services through adult day centers will be essential.
The goals of Adult Day Services are to maintain the client’s function for as long as possible and prevent or delay institutionalization.
More Specifically, What Services are Available?
Seniors generally take part in the program on a scheduled basis, and the services that are offered may include the following:
- Care Planning and Counseling
- Education
- Evening care
- Exercise
- Health screening
- Meals
- Medical care
- Recreation
- Rehabilitative Services
- Respite care
- Socialization
- Supervision
- Transportation
- Medication Management
How Many Adult Day Service Centers Are Operating in Minnesota?
There are currently 125 licensed Adult Day Centers in Minnesota with the capacity to serve 3810 adults who need community-based long-term care. There are also 11 family adult day care services with a capacity to serve 71 adults. Capacity across the state varies, with most limited access in rural areas.
Is There Public Agency Oversight of the Quality and Safety of Adult Day Services Centers?
Adult day services are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services and overseen by the Minnesota Fire Marshall. Programs that serve people with Alzheimer’s and related diseases are required to have staff who are specifically trained in dementia care, according to state law.
How Do the Costs of Day Services Compare with Home Care and Nursing Homes in Minnesota?
Daily fees average $50–72, depending on location and services included. The maximum payments from Minnesota’s Alternative Care Grant and Elderly Waiver programs are limited and subject to the pressure of state budgeting for health and human services. By contrast, a 2006 MetLife study lists the average daily nursing home rate for a private room is $199 in Minneapolis/St. Paul and $155 in Rochester.
How do Minnesotans Pay for Adult Day Services?
Adult Day Services are available on a fee for service basis. Eligible persons will find coverage for adult day services through the “waiver programs,” — the Elderly Waiver (EW) and Alternative Care Grants (ACG) as well as through the Veterans Administration. Many Long-Term Care insurance policies include Adult Day Programs as a covered service. Philanthropic organizations support some of Minnesota’s day services programs. Looking toward future possibilities, the federal government has been testing a program coordination option where Medicare Home Health Services can be delivered in Adult Day Centers.
What is the Minnesota Adult Day Services Association (MADSA)?
MADSA is an organization that promotes and supports adult day centers in Minnesota. The Association regularly sponsors training opportunities for staff and managers of centers; assistance with meeting state licensure requirements; and advocacy for consumers and caregivers who use adult day services. Our mission: MADSA supports adult day centers that help keep people in their communities without social isolation while providing necessary support to their caregivers.
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