Standards for Adult Day Programs

An adult day care program is a facility that provides programs and services for elderly adults and respite for care givers. In order to be certified, these programs need to comply with both federal and state standards.

Function

• Adult day programs usually operate Monday through Friday, and offer social, recreational and therapeutic activities as well as transportation, meals and assistance with personal care. These centers may be specialized, focusing on socialization, medical or mental health issues for elderly adults.

Features

• Individual states license or certify adult day centers, and they must abide by the standards in the state of operation. Programs must comply with federal standards as well, including providing written records for each client, having emergency procedures in place, as well as staffing requirements, such as a proper client-to-staff ratio.

Considerations

• Adult day care programs may participate in the United States Department of Agriculture's Child and Adult Care Food program, which provides centers with funding to offer nutritious meals to people over the age of 60 as part of their programs. To participate in this program, participants in the program must be physically or mentally impaired and unable to independently carry out activities of daily living.