County Nursing Home

Andrew Buffenbarger
Administrator

Frequently Asked Questions about Adult Day Care at Champaign County Nursing Home

Follow this link to download an Adult Day Care at Champaign County Nursing Home Brochure

1. Can you tell me a little bit about what you do there?

We are a day program.  We’re open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm.  Everyone who comes here goes home at night.  While people are here, they can participate in a wide variety of programs and get help with some of their personal care needs.  There is a nurse on duty while we are open.  She can dispense medications, assist clients with health care concerns, and monitors each client’s general health and well-being.  The center feels like a senior center, a warm, friendly place to spend time with other people.

2. What kinds of activities do you do there?

We offer three activities to choose from in the morning, a chair exercise program before lunch, and three to four different activities to choose from in the afternoon.  We vary our programs according to the people that we have coming here, but we do follow a basic formula.  In the mornings, our programs are more therapeutically oriented.  We try to provide a program that will help with cognition, a program that will help with socialization, and a program that will help with physical skills.  Now, we don’t tell the clients that, we tell them their choices, and want them to just enjoy themselves while they receive benefit from the programming.  A typical Monday offering is a current events program, bowling, and a group called, “I Know That,” which focuses on the use of automatic memory to help with cognition, communication, and social skills.  Clients who attend the “I Know That” group may complete proverbs one week and discuss what they mean.  Another week may find them remembering old advertising jingles.  Our chair exercise program has two purposes.  The first is to maximize range of motion at all joints and the second is to keep people as active as possible.  Research shows that the more physically active a person is, the less depressed they are.  Unfortunately, the more depressed someone becomes, the less they want to move, so we strongly encourage all of our participants to attend the exercise program.  Afternoons are more recreationally focused.  Participants can play cards, Bingo, do a word game, attend a Bible Study, or reminisce about the old days.  Programs vary according to who attends and what their interests are.

3. Do you ever take your people on outings?

We do, depending on the group that we have.  We have taken our people fishing at various places in the county, to Rockome Gardens, Allerton Park, Meadowbrook Park, the U of I Fire Institute for a program, Curtis Orchard, the malls for shopping trips, garage sales, and to brown bag Krannert concerts.  We do more outings in the spring and fall, when the weather is most pleasant.

4. How much does ADC cost?

The cost is $65 per day and $8.50 each way for transportation.

5. Are there any “hidden” costs?

We are required to prove, on a yearly basis, that none of our clients have tuberculosis.  If we do the Tb skin test here, there will be a charge of $1.30 on the bill.  Our fee does not include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical supplies, medications, dentist services, and beauty/barber services.  However, we do not provide any of these services without permission of the client and/or their caregiver, so there are no surprises in the bills.

6. Is there a contract to sign?

We do not require a contract at this time.  We bill only the days that the client actually attends and only the transportation units that a client actually uses.  We simply ask that our bill be paid monthly so we can pay our bills and if there is a problem with the bill, that we be notified quickly so we can address it.

7. How often do you bill?

We bill monthly and send our bills to your home.  Bills typically are mailed out the second week of the month following the month that the bill is for.

8. Is there financial assistance available?

Yes, while public aid and Medicare do not pay for adult day care, the VA does, when funding is available, as does the Illinois Department on Aging.  For information on Department on Aging funding, please call the local administrators of that program, the Cumberland Associates, Champaign, IL, (217) 384-3360.  For information on VA funding, please call the Danville VA outpatient social work department at 554-3000.  Use the funding hand out attached to help answer this question.

9. Do you ever have people come half days?

While this is permissible, we do not recommend it.  Our program is a good respite for the caregiver, but we believe we also have something to offer our participants.  Typically, when participants attend only half days, they sit and wait for their caregiver to return, rather than make friends with the other people at the center.  We want the people who come here to be happy and to feel like they are part of our group.  There are times, though, when someone needs to attend only half days due to physical limitations or maybe someone will leave early for a doctor’s appointment, so we don’t completely rule out the possibility of half days.  The rate for a half day is $35.

10. How do you convince people to go?

Each person is motivated to attend by different things.  Use “10 Ways to Tell Mom about Adult Day Services,” which is attached, to help answer this question.

Caregiver Tip Sheet

10 Ways to Tell Mom about Adult Day Services

1. Fun, fellowship, and good food!!  Highlight the social aspects and downplay the care aspects of the center.  The center can be described as a social club.
2. Discuss the productive aspects of the activities at the center.  Explain that she may be there to attend a meeting or to help others.
3. Describe some of the activities that might be of interest to her, and explain that this is an opportunity to rediscover old interests as well as discover new interests.
4. Encourage her to just try it for a week or so.
5. Ask her to do it for you, because you love her.  She will be safe, and you can go to work or run errands and not worry.
6. Ask her to do it for the whole family.  It gives everyone a break from each other, and helps the family get along better.
7. Talk over the health aspects that will enhance her physical wellness.  Explain that the nurse can monitor blood pressure, check blood sugar, administer medication, or do special therapy to improve range of motion at all joints.
8. Explain that the doctor has suggested the use of the center, and ask the doctor to write an order or prescription for the program.
9. Explain that this is something that she must do.  Do not give her a choice.  If necessary, bring her in so she will not feel abandoned.
10. Don’t!!  If Mom is highly anxious, do not discuss the visit in advance.  The orientation and explanation can take place at the center.

The whole day fee includes continental breakfast, lunch, and a snack.  The whole day fee also includes nursing services, assistance with personal care, such as toileting, recreational programming, exercise program, case management services, and restorative nursing services.  The whole day fee does not include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical supplies, medications, dentist services, and beauty/barber shop services.  If there are any questions about whether the specific needs of a prospective client are covered under this fee schedule, please call the Director of Adult Day Care at 217-384-3784.

Funding Sources

Private insurance - Many long term care insurance policies cover adult day services.  Read your policy, call your insurance company or agent, or bring your policy in to the adult day center to determine whether or not your policy will cover our program.

Illinois Department on Aging - The Community Care Program of the Illinois Department on Aging exists to prevent premature institutionalization of vulnerable people aged 60 and over by providing funding for home-based care, such as adult day services.  Locally, the Provena Covenant Medical Center Case Management Unit administers the program.  Call 217-337-4597 to see if you qualify for financial assistance.  If the prospective client is already a Medicaid recipient, they will qualify for this type of assistance as well.

Private Funds - Unfortunately, Medicare and Medicaid do not cover the costs of Adult Day Services at this time.