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A Physician's View

The benefits of Adult Day Health Centers (ADHC) for the elderly go beyond the obvious: a place to socialize, to do some physical exercise and get a good meal. As we age, our senses dim -- our vision declines, our hearing gets weaker, our physical stamina is reduced, and we have a harder time getting up and out of the house. Attending a Day Center provides an important motivation for elders to challenge these limits. ADHCs provide an avenue for elders to maintain their own independence and to feel good about themselves. In part this is because, at the Day Center, elders find themselves among people who value them and want to hear from them and participate in life with them. These people are the other Center attendees and the staff members.

Adult Day Health Centers are run by teams of professionals that assure a high level of medical, social, psychological, and functional monitoring of each participant. ADHC staff include nurses, social workers, activities leaders and health workers who monitor health, supervise therapeutic exercise, manage medication, assure special diets and provide group activities. The staff members also communicate closely with other community health care and social service providers. In this way, a social support network (of new and old friends) and a center for recreational activities also serves as a key component of a health care system for the elderly. Since many elders on their own do not have the ability to locate the best health resources for their needs, ADHC's play a critical role in meeting their medical needs.

Moreover, at the same time that the ADHC strengthens the independence, health and well-being of its members, it also provides a respite for the adult children and other family members who may be responsible for the care and support of the elder in the home environment.

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