How to Start an Adult Day Care Business - It's Philosophies and Models

Starting an adult day care business is a smart investment for the business entrepreneur as well as for the senior citizens and the community it will serve. This article will explain the philosophy behind adult day care the three models of adult day care client description and 10 steps towards the development of your own adult day care business.

Adult Day Care Philosophy - Adult Day Care a part of the long-term continuum of care for the elderly, is guided by a specific philosophy of service: that philosophy views the individual client and the caregivers, whether family, friends, a spouse, or others, as a systemic unit sharing in the total care of the client. The provider of adult day care becomes part of that systemic unit of care offering aid and support to the individual client and caregivers.

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Caregivers are able to rely on the staff of the adult day care center to provide experienced and respectful care for their parent, friend, or spouse. The adult day care provider joins with the family or other caregivers to provide care for the client that is consistent with the care provided at home. Because the care is consistent and regularly scheduled, primary caregivers are better able to plan for events in their own lives, and staff members are able to recognize and consult with primary caregivers concerning client progress in specific areas of activity and functioning. Staff may also offer consultation, information and referral programs to the caregiver to further the three guiding principles of an adult day care center: Maintenance, Restoration and Improvement.

Models of Adult Day Care -

Historically, there have been a number of models and mixes of models for adult day care services. The following three are pure type models.

1. The Medical Model - The staff will include at least one full-time registered nurse who is trained in geriatric care and will have available the services of a physician who is board certified in geriatric medicine. The services of the attached health care facility are available to the client as well as charting and records of client care will follow a medical format. Not all medical ADC's are attached to a health care facility.

2. The Mental Health Model - Individual counseling is emphasized, as well as therapeutic group activities. There may also be a strong family therapy or family support group component in such programs. There are currently many Alzheimer's ( Memory Care) focused adult day care centers.

3. The Social Model - Primary emphasis is placed on the socializing benefit of group activities. Staff may be especially alert to group dynamics from a perspective of encouraging client socialization and interaction and discouraging withdrawal and isolation.

10 Developmental Steps To Starting an AdultDayCareCenter

1. Educate yourself about Adult Day Care and get your state regulations. Visit a few adult day care centers to get an overall picture of a center. 2. Choose a location where you won't compete with other centers and there is a need for your service. 3. Decide on the size of your center. How many people will you serve? 4. Decide which model of adult day care is best for your area. 5. Decide what services your center will provide. 6. Look at your finances, funding sources, potential partners, and overall costs of starting a new business. Crunch the numbers. 7. Realize that depending on your financials, you may not have a steady income for a while. 8. Know yourself are you an entrepreneur, can you multi task, do you have business experience or medical experience? 9. There can be many ups and downs when beginning a new project. Friends and family are helpful but may be your biggest critics and they know which of your buttons to push. You will need to be your biggest supporter.

How to Start an Adult Day Care Business - It's Philosophies and Models

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