Staff Perceptions of Adult Day Centers Providing Post-Acute Care for Persons With Dementia

The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of adult day services (ADS) staff and hospital discharge planners regarding the feasibility of ADS to provide post-acute care (PAC) for persons with dementia. We conducted key informant interviews with emergency department (ED) and inpatient hospital discharge planners (n = 9), and two focus groups with ADS staff (n = 15) representing five ADS programs. Four thematic categories were identified from the discharge planners, including concerns for patients, factors influencing discharge, experience with ADS, and conditions for ADS referrals. Four categories identified from ADS staff interviews include public lack of knowledge of ADS, communication challenges, ADS to prevent hospitalization and ED visits, and barriers to providing PAC. Lack of knowledge about ADS, the role of family in PAC decisions, and the lack of reimbursement for PAC in ADS were identified as the most significant drivers in the ability of ADS to provide PAC.