Adult day health programs help senior participants maintain their health and independence

A recent study by San Francisco’s Institute on Aging (IOA) documents that adult day health programs play a vital role in helping senior participants maintain their health and independence. Since the 1970s, adult day health care has been promoted as an alternative to nursing home care for seniors with chronic illness, disability, or dementia. There are currently 4,600 adult day health centers operating in the United States, but little scientific research demonstrating their impact on the health of senior participants.

“We know that day programs make good fiscal sense for California”

The IOA research team followed attendees of 16 San Francisco adult day health centers and comparable older adults who did not attend a day center. After one year, the day center participants reported significantly fewer problems with regular daily activities than the individuals who did not attend a day center. They also perceived an increase in their quality of life, which numerous researchers believe can result in better health, reduced health care utilization, and reduced mortality.

Adult day health programs provide seniors living in the community with transportation to non-residential facilities where they receive health services, nutritious meals, and social activities as many as five days per week, helping to prevent premature institutionalization and freeing family caregivers to work or attend to errands.

Day programs are much less expensive than nursing home care. Nevertheless, in California, the 300 adult day health centers throughout the State are routinely targeted for cutbacks or elimination through Medi-Cal, a state version of Medicaid that underwrites long-term health care for low-income residents. Providers of adult day health services hope that IOA’s study will strengthen the case for continued funding of the programs.

“We know that day programs make good fiscal sense for California,” asserts Cindy Kauffman, Vice President of Operations at IOA and a leading advocate for adult day health programs, “This study shows that day centers also make good sense for older Californians who simply need some help to continue living in their own homes despite the challenges of aging in place. We hope that the Governor and the Legislature make it their priority to see that these programs remain part of the State’s strategy for caring for our aging population.”