How does someone go about deciding if an Adult Day Care center (ADC) is a good fit for a loved one? There are many factors, but one important consideration is the question of licensing.
We understand that it’s not easy to entrust a loved one’s well-being to strangers. That is why licensing is important to AGE of Central Texas– we want to do everything we can to reassure family caregivers that our Adult Day Health Centers are safe and held to the highest standards.
In Texas, the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) licenses and surveys adult day care facilities to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations to protect individuals who are receiving these long-term care services.
Some of the requirements that licensed adult day care centers follow include:
- Required reporting measures for concerns of abuse and neglect
- Criminal background checks of all employees
- Staffed positions with required skills (including a program director, a full-time nurse, and an activity director)
- A staff to client ratio of at least one to eight
- And DADS conducts annual inspections to ensure these and other policies and procedures are followed to ensure client safety and well being
AGE of Central Texas has provided licensed, vibrant adult day care services in Austin for two decades, and in Round Rock for five years. For us, licensing is much more than just meeting a list of requirements. At AGE, we consider our licenses, and the regular inspections that come along with it, a badge of accountability. As a licensed facility, we know we are providing the highest quality care to our members.
As a former Long-term Care Ombudsman with the Capital Area Agency on Aging, I helped people select Nursing Homes and Assisted Living facilities for their loved ones. One of our primary resources is the Quality Reporting System (QRS) provided by DADS. The QRS keeps a scorecard for complaints received and deficiencies found at the annual inspections for long-term care facilities, including adult day centers. The QRS also gives information on ownership, whether a center is for profit or a non-profit, and center capacity.
As someone who researched long-term care facilities for five years, I feel it is important for families to have somewhere to turn for help should concerns about their loved one arise. If you are considering adult day services for a loved one, I strongly recommend consulting the QRS system online (click here) or calling DADS (1-800-458-9858) to inquire about the licensing and complaint information of any adult day care program before you are consider making them part of your loved one’s care.
A center without a license is asking you to accept their care without proper assurances in place. At AGE of Central Texas, we are committed to being accountable partners in providing the utmost care to your aging loved ones.
Cindy Fisher
Administrative Assistant, AGE of Central Texas
AGE of Central Texas Blog 