Elder and Adult Day Services Programs
Our
Young Adult Achievement Center is a new program responding to a need for affordable, full-day programming for adults (ages 18-30) with mild-to-moderate developmental disabilities. At a price comparable to pre-school day care services, the Achievement Center provides a carefully designed curriculum that integrates Enrichment Activities (arts & crafts), Lifelong Learning (academics), Life Skills and Fitness.
Key features include:
- Interest/ability balanced peer groups
- Evidence-based exercise programs
- Research-based, asset-driven Individual Achievement Plans (IAPs)
- Peer group facilitation
Our
Compassionate Care Program provides licensed nursing and therapies needed to meet the complex medical and psycho-social needs of adults with the most profound physical and cognitive developmental disabilities. These individuals are typically quadriplegic, non-verbal, on multiple medications and have severe cognitive impairments (mental age of <2). Care requirements include tube feedings, colostomy care and pressure ulcer management. Our asset-driven therapies leverage their individual engagement points—music, massage, story telling, walking, etc.—to encourage their participation.
Our
Senior Club provides adult day health services to seniors with moderate-to-profound dementia necessitating 24-hour supervision. Most had no disabilities and lived independently prior to the onset of the dementia. Consequently, many are initially resistant to participate in day center programming. Therefore, the Senior Club has unique goals and features:
- To create a homelike atmosphere
- To provide programming that is warm, inviting and engaging
- To encourage their participation in the physical exercise program
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Success
Our Young Adult Achievement Center is an important advance in the development of day programming for adults with mild-to-moderate developmental disabilities. No other program integrates Enrichment Activities, Lifelong Learning, Fitness and Life Skills in a manner designed to increase the participants’ ability to engage in more meaningful and rewarding relationships with their families, peers and communities.
This programming is based on research regarding:
- The importance of daily activities for adults with disabilities (and their caregivers)
- The need for alternative programming for adults with intellectual impairments
- The primacy of social engagement as an essential for human happiness
Need
In 2011, hundreds of adults with developmental disabilities lost Medicaid funding for day health services. Most are living in adult family home or supported living settings and are not under the supervision of licensed nurses. They have profound-to-severe intellectual disabilities that prevent them from self-initiating care or, often, even alerting their caregivers to medical needs. Many may experience weeks or even months of preventable pain, illness or medical decline before the condition becomes obvious to their caregivers. In one case, a paperclip imbedded in the roof of a young man’s mouth wasn’t discovered until his routine dental exam.
$30,000 would fund 360 four-hour blocks of day health services. Clients would be seen at least once/month but not more than four times/month unless there’s an acute condition requiring more frequent care. The services provided would include assessment, medical monitoring and case management. The goal is to minimize medical decline due to chronic conditions and avert medical crises.