MODELS FOR PRACTICE
FOCUS AREA: ACCESS TO LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES
Program Name: Georgia Mobile Day Care Program
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Problem
Addressed: Access to Long-Term Care Services
Healthy
People 2010 Objective: 1
Web
Address: www.aging.dhr.georgia.gov
SNAPSHOT
Family and friends often
serve as the primary care providers for those with Alzheimer’s disease and
related disorders; however, much needed social day care and respite services
are often nonexistent in rural areas. The Georgia Mobile Day Care Program is an
innovative program that addresses this gap in services by providing adult
social day care to rural communities by sharing staff, who
travel between locations.
THE MODEL
Blueprint: The Georgia Mobile Day Care
Program provides adult social day care and respite services to rural Georgia through two programs—the McIntosh Trail
Community Service Board Reflections Program that provides services to Upson and
Butts Counties,
and the Athens Community Council on Aging that
provides services to Elberton, Greene, Morgan, and Newton Counties.
Program staff travel up to 50 miles one way each day to the program site—generally
a senior center in the community. Program staffing varies but typically
includes a registered nurse who provides overall supervision to the program and
rotates visits among the various sites, an activity director and an aide, and
community volunteers. With a staff to client ratio of 1:4, most sites maintain
a capacity of up to eight clients per site.
The
program provides a range of services for clients. On a typical day, clients
participate in exercises, cognitive activities, movies, crafts, and
reminiscing. Lunch and snacks are provided at each site. At some sites, transportation is available for a nominal fee. One-on-one
time is set aside at the start and end of each day to allow caregivers and the
staff to discuss concerns regarding the client.
Making a Difference: Clients, caregivers, and rural
communities have benefited from the Georgia Mobile Day Care Program. Caregivers
have identified key areas of satisfaction including the ability to keep the
loved one in the home and delay nursing home placement, respite care for the
caregiver, and reduction in the burden on the caregiver. The average length of
stay in the program is 21 months, although some clients have participated in
the program for more than six years.
Through written surveys, 100% of caregivers indicate that the program
provides them with relief and peace of mind.
The program has continued to grow since its inception.
The original program site in Augusta
has expanded to provide services five days per week and is now a stand-alone
facility. Some sites that were initially just one day per week have increased
service to two or three days per week. Program organizers continue to seek
additional funding to allow expansion of the program to other underserved areas
of Georgia.
The ability of the program to be replicated in rural and urban areas has
generated attention from not only other counties in Georgia but also other states. To
date, over 25 states have requested information about the program.
The program is publicized through a variety of
avenues to target caregivers, providers, communities, referral sources, and
potential funders. These communication channels include
radio, newspaper, health fairs, presentations at professional conferences and
workshops, and feature articles in periodicals. In September 2004, Georgia
Mobile Day Care released a new video highlighting the program. This video can
be viewed on the Division’s website; upon request, copies will be mailed to
interested persons or organizations.
Beginnings: Initial funding was obtained by the Georgia Division of Aging
Services through an Alzheimer’s Demonstration Grant from the U.S.
Administration on Aging. The first site was established in McDuffie County
in 1996, providing care one day per week. Today, the site has matured into a
stand-alone program—The Homeplace, a facility that
provides care five days per week. Two additional programs in two Area Agencies
on Aging have subsequently been developed—the Reflections Geriatric Program and
the Athens Community Council on Aging. These programs serve six counties. The
program is currently funded through sliding fee schedules, United Way funds, state funds, and some
private-pay clients.
Challenges
and Solutions: The program has encountered a number of challenges
in providing this service to rural Georgia. Foremost among these challenges
is gaining the community’s trust and buy-in. To meet this challenge, the program
fosters community involvement through establishment of local advisory boards,
hiring local individuals to work in the program, enlisting local volunteers,
and selecting well-known locations in the community (such as the senior center
or church) to serve as the service sites. Lack of resources is a key concern
for rural areas with limited funding to establish their own “bricks and mortar”
respite services. By sharing staff between sites, utilizing existing facilities
in the communities, and capitalizing on available resources, rural areas are
able to overcome many resource barriers to provide social day care for clients
with Alzheimer’s and/or other chronic diseases and respite care for their
families.
PROGRAM CONTACT
INFORMATION
Cliff Burt, Caregiver
Specialist
Georgia Division of Aging Services
Two Peachtree Street NW, Suite 9.398
Atlanta, GA 30303-3142
Phone: (404) 657-5336
Fax: (404) 657-5285