Questions you should ask when you call to inquire about a day program.
- What disabilities or diagnosis do you provide services for? For example, our program offers services to individuals 18 years of age and older. We provide services to individuals that need assistance with ADL’s (bathing, dressing, ambulation) activities and benefit from socialization.
- Hours and days the center operates. Our program is open Monday thru Friday. Our hours are from 7am until 5:30pm because we are a licensed Adult Day Program as well as an Adult Training Facility. Most day programs in our area operate on a shorter day.
- What staff to client ratio does the program offer? This is important because you want your loved one to receive the attention they need so that their personal care needs are met as well as the support they may require to participate in activities fully.
- Is this program licensed? Are they required to have a license to operate? Be sure to ask about a centers license and if its current. Many providers display their license in the entryway so that they are easily viewed by visitors. You can also view many licenses on line through the agency that licenses their center.
- How long have they been in operation? Our center has been operation since 1992. This information is important because it shows how much experience and stability the program has.
- What type of funding is available for services? There are waivers available to seniors and disabled adults for services if they qualify. The Veterans Administration and your local Department of aging also offer funding.
- Additional services offered? Additional services may include therapies such as Physical, Occupational and Speech. We have nurses on staff which allow us to care for individuals that may be more medically needy. We also have a cook and offer lunch and snacks. We are able to provide special diets such as pureed, fine chopped and thickened liquids.
As you tour the program there are things you should look for and additional questions you may want to ask.
- Once you enter the center does it have any odors, is it bright and cheerful, would you want to spend your day there? Is it clean?
- Are you greeted by friendly, courteous staff?
- As you watch the interaction between staff and clients, are they encouraging, supportive, and kind to the clients they are working with? Do the clients look happy? Are they smiling, laughing? Are all the clients included in the activity? Are there different activities to meet the different interests of the clients?
- Ask about client to staff ratios. How many staff members are assigned to each group to meet the needs and health concerns of the individuals they serve. What is the protocol for the staff if a client is not feeling good or is not themselves? How often do they can go to the bathroom? Get a drink? Eat?
- Interaction between staff is also important. While you are visiting take notice if they are assisting one another and communicating with each other?
- How do the staff react to you when you enter their program area? Are they friendly, willing to answer questions? Do they greet your loved one, do they include them in the activity that is taking place or introduce them to the other clients?
Be sure to communicate your expectations to the center when you are filling out the application so that they understand the commitment they are making to you and your family member when they accept your loved one in their program.
Communication is also important. We establish an open line of communication with our families so that we can reach out to them if we have a concern about their loved one, but also when clients first begin or caregivers have expressed concern. Conveying to caregivers that their loved one is adjusting well, interacting with others and getting involved in the activities helps to reduce the anxiety they may be feeling and reassures them that their loved one is alright.
When you drop your loved one off at their program in the morning, you should be able to go to work or run errands confident that your individual is being cared for and all their physical and emotional needs are being met. The highest compliment that we receive is when caregivers tell us they no longer worry about their loved one after they drop them off to us. Trust is something we work hard at earning and continue to work hard to keep it.
Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose.
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