Daytime Health Care Industry On the Rise
Daytime health care for the elderly "is about to become big business," and Sacramento County is currently drafting a plan to meet the imminent demand, the
Sacramento Bee reports. The number of elderly Californians enrolled in licensed daytime health care centers, which provide an alternative to nursing homes for elderly who are "sick or impaired," has "more than doubled" since 1998 to reach a total of 23,300 seniors. There are 197 centers statewide, with 106 daytime health care license applications pending with the state Department of Aging. However, the Bee reports that the existing facilities can only accommodate half of the elderly who need the service, with the greatest unmet need in rural counties. Seven centers are currently in operation in Sacramento County, with more planned -- including the first
for-profit center specifically for Russian immigrants. The county's new development plan is "in its infancy." However, Kay Merill, program manager for the Sacramento Public Health Advisory Board and a member of the Adult Day Health Care Planning Council, said the plan will take into consideration "transportation time, neighborhood service areas and the creation of specialized centers for ethnic or religious groups" (Teichert, Sacramento Bee, 11/10).