A well-run adult day care center’s goals will focus on enriching the participants’ lives, building upon their skills, knowledge, and unique abilities and strengths. Below are some of the activities that may be available:
- Arts and crafts
- Musical entertainment and sing-a-longs
- Mental stimulation games such as bingo
- Stretching or other gentle exercise
- Discussion groups (books, films, current events)
- Holiday and birthday celebrations
- Local outings
Some centers offer programs that include children. The Friendship Center in California, for example, developed The GOLD Project where older adults are encouraged to visit local classrooms and share their life experiences with the children, educating and enlivening both groups in the process. The Center also has an “Adventuresome Aging” program for people with early stage Alzheimer’s disease, to help them remain engaged and active in the community.
Besides recreational activities, some adult day care centers provide transportation to and from the center, social services including counseling and support groups for caregivers, and health support services such as blood pressure monitoring and vision screening.
