Berkeley Adult Day Health Center

Established in 1990, the Berkeley Adult Day Health Center provides a comprehensive outpatient program, offering health, rehabilitative and social services for frail and/or disabled adults. It is a satellite program of the West Oakland Health Council, Inc., that offers a spectrum of health care services from medical, prenatal, dental and mental health to adult day health.

Participants' ages and medical needs vary -- ranging from young and middle-aged adults with conditions such as head injury, stroke and Parkinson's, to seniors with early stage dementia and Alzheimer's. Other conditions the center sees are high blood pressure, depression, arthritis, memory loss, heart disease, diabetes, seizure disorders, respiratory ailments and frailty.

The Center's professional and caring staff encourage maximum independence and group interaction in a supportive environment. Program services include: rehabilitative and restorative therapies, nursing care, nutritional services, social services, recreational activities, and psychiatric and psychology services. Participants often express how appreciative they are of the care they receive, and their families are thankful for the respite the program offers them. Many a family has commented that the program is a real lifesaver, allowing them to attend to their other responsibilities but still allowing their loved one to live independently at home, rather than going into a nursing home.