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Adult day care: Helping
help the elderly By
Cynthia L. Miller
The 80-year-old mother of 10 got a chance
to play recently as she watched model trains after a special luncheon for
adults attending day care. Clanton goes to The Little Red House Adult
Day Care, 311 E. Exchange in Spring Lake, to socialize and participate in
arts and crafts activities. She is among a growing number of older
residents who depend on adult day-care facilities to provide meaningful
activities, supervision and even medical assistance. But paying for day care can be a
challenge. Some families are able to tap into scholarships or Veterans
Administration benefits -- if they qualify. But help may be on the way. Those eligible for Medicare's in-home care
benefit would qualify for day-care coverage under a pilot program included
in legislation recently passed by Congress. It gives seniors another choice, said Sen.
Jim Bunning, R-Ky., a lead supporter of the change. Pam Curtis, service director for the
Senior Resources Agency on Aging for Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa counties,
said Medicare coverage of adult day care is an exciting idea that will
allow seniors to stay in their own homes rather than be forced into
nursing homes. If you can help the caregiver get some
relief or maintain their job ... that allows them to keep their care
recipient at home so much longer, which is where they want to have them
and where they want to be, Curtis said. Versions of the legislation passed by the
House and Senate are slightly different. The House bill would establish
the pilot program in five states, while the Senate measure would allow the
demonstration to take place at three centers. A joint committee will meet
to settle the differences. Local officials believe the program most
likely won't be in Michigan any time soon because the state inspects but
does not certify adult day care facilities. Pilot programs most likely
would move to states with certification, but it's a step in the right
direction, said Lee Anne Dixon, executive director of The Little Red
House. I think this is fantastic, and while it's
a long time coming it makes sense financially to have this coverage, Dixon
said. Diane Jones, program coordinator for
DayBreak Adult Day Services in Norton Shores, said anything that could
keep more money in people's pockets and provide this service would be
great. DayBreak charges $36 for a four hours of
care at its three adult day-care sites. In addition to the Norton Shores
center housed at DaySpring Adult Day Services, Inc., 572 Lake Forest,
other DayBreak locations are in North Muskegon at the Fifth Reformed
Church, 2330 Holton Road, and 3243 Lever in Hart. It's a struggle for families to afford
care, Jones said, adding that Medicare assistance would be a tremendous
help. A recent study funded by the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation found about 2,100 adult day-care centers nationwide
provide elderly and disabled people with some level of medical assistance.
About 80 percent of centers that
participated in the survey reported being licensed or certified by states.
More than 70 percent are run by nonprofit organizations, and the average
age of users is 72. The day-care component of the Medicare legislation has
no known opposition and even the support of an industry group representing
in-home nurses. The legislation could ease problems
associated with a nursing shortage and doesn't threaten the in-home
nursing industry, National Association for Home Care and Hospice officials
said. Little Red House participant Howard Thede,
83, of Spring Lake said he enjoys picnics, field trips and movies the
day-care program offers him. I like the change, I guess, and I get to
go places and meet people, Thede said. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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