Byline: Joyzelle Davis, Rocky Mountain News
George Bock's 91-year-old wife, Virginia, is spry enough to fox trot, but her memory problems make him wary about leaving her home alone.
So, twice a week he drops her off at Centura's adult day care program, where she engages in a couple of hours of trivia games, current-events discussions and light exercise while he runs errands and sneaks in the occasional golf game.
'We like this arrangement,' said Bock, 92, as he dropped off his wife. 'It gives her some variety, and she isn't alone in the apartment.'
The recently opened Centura Adult Day Center is one of about 30 providers in the Denver area, which let seniors stay in their homes while also providing a respite for harried children, spouses and other caregivers. Demand for such services is growing as the adult population ages and increasingly looks for ways to remain out of a nursing home.
'It's a less well-known service, but it's a really critical service,' said Kathleen O'Brien, senior gerontologist with the MetLife Mature Market Institute. 'It can help people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to remain at home to age in place in a less expensive way.'
Adult day care costs around $10 an hour, compared with $19 for a home health care aide and less than half the cost of a nursing home.
About half of adult day care participants have some cognitive impairment, and 59 percent require assistance with two or more daily activities, including eating, bathing or dressing, according to the National Adult Day Services Association. Some 41 percent require help with three or more activities.
In other words, it's not for everyone.
'There's an awful lot of very frail people there, although the perception is one that it's an active group,' said Eileen Doherty, executive director of Denver-based Senior Answers and Services.
The Johnson Adult Day Center in Englewood, which has been open for 20 years, splits its nearly 70 clients into groups according to their social and activity level. Participants with early-stage Alzheimer's who are otherwise energetic might toss a football in the park, take nature walks and visit museums, said Caroline Tysseland, director of the center.
'We have a medical component, and we can care for people who have some complex medical issues, but our goal is to give people enough medicine to keep you on the dance floor,' said Tysseland, who is also a registered nurse.
Even at $10 an hour, the cost of adult day care can quickly add up if a working child needs to drop off a parent for 40 hours a week. Caregivers and clients pay out of pocket for private adult day care services, although Medicaid will pay if the participant meets the requirements of making less than $1,869 a month in income with savings below $2,000. Most long-term care insurance policies cover adult day, said MetLife's O'Brien.
Only services that receive Medicaid funds are regulated. Otherwise, private adult day care facilities don't need a license to operate.
Centura decided to open its adult day facility after seeing that middle-age adults are increasingly pinched between raising their own children and caring for aging parents, said Erin Denholm, Centura Health at Home's CEO. The center, near the University of Denver in a residential house, intends to keep its enrollment to eight to provide an individual environment.
'There's more commitment than ever to keep their parents out of a nursing home for as long as they can,' Denholm said.
That kind of boutique model is starting to take hold at adult day centers around the country, as some are taking a cue from specialized child development programs like Montessori and Waldorf. The adult day care model likely will continue to evolve as the baby boomer generation eases into their golden years in the next decade, said Janice Blanchard, director of the city of Denver's office on aging.
INFOBOX
Care for older adults
3,500 adult day centers exist nationwide, providing care for 150,000 older Americans
78 percent of adult day centers operate on a nonprofit or public basis
72 is the average age of adult day participants; two-thirds are women
OTHER FIGURES
* Nearly one out of four U.S. households provides care to a relative or friend age 50 or older
* Nationwide, the average daily rate for adult day centers is $61, while home health care aides cost an average of $19 an hour.
* In Denver, the average daily rate for adult day centers is $59, while home health aides cost $22 an hour.
Sources: National Adult Day Services Association, Met Life Mature Market Institute
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Photo
George Bock gives his 91-year-old wife, Virginia, a kiss as he drops her off at the Centura Adult Day Center in south Denver. While he runs errands, Bock doesn't want to leave his wife at home because of her memory problems. 'It gives her some variety,' he said. JAVIER MANZANO / ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
