Commission on Aging 

Adult Day Care

The Newaygo County Commission on Aging’s Activity Group has been designed to address the needs of the client as well as the needs of the caregiver.  With this design, we are able to address some of the social and financial factors that concern the caregivers while addressing the intellectual, social, and physical impairments of the clients.  By addressing the entire scope of needs, we accomplish two goals:  1) we are able to assist the clients in achieving and maintaining the highest level of functioning and the best quality of life possible and 2) we are able to ease the caregiving burdens placed on family members which then allows them to be able to care for their loved ones at home longer.

For Adult Day Care services, we are required to request donations for services as well as to have a cost share policy.  Cost sharing is a policy that requires a co-payment for services provided.  The co-payment is based on client income and unit rate cost.  At this time we have no clients who meet the criteria for making co-payments under the cost sharing policy.  We do have a suggested donation rate for clients/caregivers to consider if they can afford to do so.  Our suggested donation on for day programming is $1.50 per hour of service.  Group attendance averages 4 to 6 hours per service day. 

The COA Activity Group operates five days per week, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.  We utilize the COA bus for client transportation four days per week, thereby saving time and money by not having to use volunteer drivers and allowing the caregivers a break from having to transport their loved ones, which can be very difficult if the client is wheelchair-bound.  The three programs (dementia-related, medically frail, and developmentally disabled) run side-by-side, sharing administrative costs, thereby allowing more dollars for direct service.  The Alzheimer’s/ADC/Day Activity program also shares a full-time coordinator with the Older Adult Respite Services (OARS) program.  The Alzheimer’s/dementia program employs one part-time aide; the ADC component of the activity group employs two part-time aides.

The program provides nutrition, socialization, and recreational activities for the group participants and respite for the caregivers as described previously. The program is currently based at the Senior Center in White Cloud, but maintains the flexibility to operate from other sites when the need arises.

A certified exercise instructor, who is also a registered physical therapy assistant, directs an exercise group on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. until noon.  The program's objectives are to improve strength and muscle flexibility, posture, endurance, and walking ability (to lessen the likelihood of falls).  Exercises are designed so that even those in wheelchairs with limited physical abilities are able to participate.

We continue to emphasize the social model of programming, mainstreaming clients with the general senior population.  The program coordinator plans and schedules daily activities which are designed to meet the variety of needs of the identified clients.  Everyone, regardless of their ability to function, is encouraged to participate in all activities, if they choose, to the best of their abilities.  Community members are invited to participate in the activities along with the clients.  We have found that the community members enjoy the activities and gain a better understanding of and respect for the clients, and the clients enjoy the activities and become more comfortable interacting with people.  The addition of the younger persons with developmental disabilities has worked to the advantage of all clients as well as community members.  The younger individuals voluntarily help the elders with tasks, and the elders provide a nurturing and caring environment for the younger people. This intergenerational contact has proven to be valuable to all populations.