An adult day program is a place she can go during daytime hours, with staff, activities, often a meal, and some help with personal needs. It can give her a change of scene and give you a few hours of your own. It does not replace the house, and the house is still the promise. Before she spends a day there, check the points below, and use the same questions for every program you consider.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

The schedule and the days

Ask which days and hours the program runs, whether she can attend part of a day, and how the schedule changes when a closure falls on her usual day. A schedule that fits her energy is more useful than a full week that wears her out. Ask whether the days can be adjusted as her needs change.

The ride there and back

Find out who drives, how long the ride takes, whether a seat or lift is needed, and who meets her at the door when she comes home. Ask what happens if she is too tired or unwell to go on a given day, and how quickly you will be called.

Who helps with what

Ask exactly what the staff will help her with: meals, bathroom trips, changing clothes, moving between rooms, and getting into a vehicle. Ask how many staff are on the floor at one time. Then ask what the program will not help with, because those tasks stay with you or with a separate service.

Medicine stays with the family

Ask the program what it will and will not do with her medicine. Confirm that her medication list, her doctor, and her pharmacist remain the source of truth, and that you know who is responsible for her doses on program days. Whatever the arrangement is, get it written down before her first visit.

How the day is reported back

Ask how you will hear about her day: a written note, a phone call, or a shared log. Ask what the program does when she seems confused, sad, or unwell, and who it calls first. A program that explains clearly what happens when things go wrong is easier to rely on when things go right.

Compare two programs on the same list

Write the answers to each question next to each other. Visit with her present, watch how staff speak to the people in the room, and notice whether there is a quiet place where she can rest. Her comfort on the first visit tells you more than any brochure. For local options and questions to bring to a visit, see Local help for keeping her home.