What to Look for in a Community-Based Services Day Program for Disabled Adults

Community-based day programs are a great way to provide your disabled loved ones with enrichment experiences, build job skills, and learn independence. What are some of the qualities that you should seek out in a community-based day program for disabled adults?

Serves Your Target Population

Day programs are geared toward individuals of different ages, abilities, cognitive function levels, medical issues, and much more. The first thing you need to do is find the programs that meet the specific needs of your loved one. Here are some of the ways that day programs are organized:

• Age – Young adults have different needs than middle-aged adults or seniors
• Physical, Cognitive, or Emotional Impairments
• Medical Needs
• Specific Skill Focus – Employment-related skills, relationship skills, independent functioning skills, community participation, socialization and enrichment, etc.

Some programs are configured for specific conditions and needs, for example, Connecticut offers programs specifically designed to support people with Autism Spectrum Disorders. And others focus on adult job skills training such as the programs offered by Melmark New England.

You will have to do some research on your own and make phone calls when necessary to get all of the information you will need about these programs.

Appropriate Licenses and Accreditation

Most community-based adult day programs for disabled individuals require them to meet specific safety and care requirements in order to be allowed to enroll participants. These might be federal, state, or local requirements. These programs require the appropriate liability insurance and operating licenses within the state where the program operates.

Safe and Accessible Facilities

The facilities for the program must pass inspection, be configured for accessibility for those with disabilities and seniors with durable medical equipment (DME) such as wheelchair ramps, handicap lift chairs for stairs, grab bars and poles to provide support, and much more.

Trained & Certified Medical Professionals On-Site

This is especially important in facilities that serve individuals with specific medical conditions. The medical staff should have experience caring for the conditions that the individuals attending the day program suffer from, and have all training and certifications up-to-date.

Need Durable Medical Equipment (DME) for Your Home or Day Program?

Give Lift and Care Systems a call. We have been serving disabled individuals and their caregivers in the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island for over 20 years now. We have the name-brand durable medical equipment (DME) you need. Contact us today for a free consultation at (508) 465-5254 or fill out our online contact form.