As the Demand for Adult Day Services Grows, So Does the Need for Software Solutions
Adult Day Care is emerging as a top choice for keeping older people living in their own homes. By participating in an adult day care program, an individual stays mobile, gets a healthy meal and snacks, receives help with their care needs, participates in fun and engaging activities, and combats loneliness and isolation by interacting with the staff and with other friends at the center. My mom said she was "going to camp."
In order to run an elder care day center properly, you need software. 
Key Features of Top Adult Day Care Software
When selecting adult day care software, it’s important to focus on features that meet the unique needs of your organization. Here are the key capabilities to prioritize (copied from our article What is Adult Day Care Software):
- Maintenance of Participant Profiles: This includes basic demographics, scheduling and payment information.
- Activities and Participation Documentation: A center's activities are what differentiates them from competition. By planning and tracking, the software also is able to keep family members in the loop on their loved-one's care
- Billing and Invoicing: Automate billing processes and generate invoices. Advanced Adult Day Care software will also have the ability to send bills, send claims to payers like Medicaid, collect payments via credit cards or bank transfers (ACH payments) from consumers, and when there are government payers, to process the remittance.
- In-Center Communication: By having a centralized system, staff members can look up information about participants, schedules, transportation, staff shifts, billing, payroll and more.
- Family Communication: Being able to keep family members connected to their loved-ones day care participation is a strong way to differentiate
- Nutrition and Meal Planning: As mentioned, providing meals is an important component of a day program and it ensures that participants are eating well. There are also programs that subsidize meals and this documentation is critical for participation.
- Compliance: Sadly, there is a history of fraud in adult day services. Although this doesn't yet apply to day care services, there was legislation passed for the "near neighbor" industry of home care that requires electronic proof of care delivery. This will likely be required for day services soon.
Vendor Comparison
Here’s a look at some of the adult day care software solutions on the market:
Ankota
Ankota is an emerging leader in Adult Day Care Software. They have a simple user interface and a rich feature set covering all of the items above. They also have billing for both private pay and Medicaid. One key differentiator is that you can document activities for all participants at once (and then edit for specific clients). This helps you to better engage with family members.
Carevium
Carevium offers cloud-based software designed for adult day care centers, assisted living, and home care. Key features include participant management, billing, scheduling, and family communication tools. Its intuitive interface and EHR integration stand out.
MyAdultDayCare
Focused on smaller to mid-sized centers, MyAdultDayCare offers tools for attendance tracking, activity planning, and invoicing. Their site also includes a directory of Adult Day Care Providers. I met these guys at the National Adult Day Services Association conference.
AL Advantage
AL Advantage caters to senior care organizations. Reviewing their website gives the impression that they are mostly focused on residential living facilities. They are offering features such as care tracking, compliance reporting, and billing. Its mobile access and user-friendly design make it easy for staff to adopt.
Eldermark
Similar to AL Advantage, Eldermark seams to be focused on facilities. They say that they have solutions for Financial Health, Workforce Stability, Resident Experience and Operational Efficiency. Their solution integrates seamlessly with healthcare systems and supports participant management, health monitoring, and compliance tracking. Its customization options are ideal for centers with specific operational needs.
Critical Factors for Choosing the Right Software
Selecting the best software for your center requires careful consideration. Focus on the following:
- The features you need: All solutions will have attendance tracking and billing, but if you need staff tracking / payroll, transportation management, or specific compliance documentation or billing to specific payers, those are the key things that you should look for. Ask if they have those before committing to a demo.
- Activity Tracking: In adult day services, your activities are what differentiate you from your competition. So look for software that captures your activities and lets you share the information with family members (remembering that some participants won't remember well what happened at their session)
- Integration: Choose solutions that integrate smoothly with existing systems, such as applicant tracking, accounting (like Quickbooks) or your payers (if you have to send claims)
- Security and Compliance: Look for strong data protection and HIPAA compliance.
- Ease of Use: Opt for user-friendly software with clear navigation and training support
How to Make the Right Choice
To find the perfect software for your adult day care center:
- Identify Your Needs: Understand your center’s size, services, and specific challenges.
- Compare Features: Evaluate solutions based on your operational priorities.
- Consider Usability: Ensure your staff can easily adopt the software with proper training.
- Review Security: Prioritize systems with robust data protection.
- Read Testimonials: Learn from other centers’ experiences.
- Request a Demo: Test software firsthand to ensure it aligns with your needs.
Conclusion
Selecting the right software is a game-changer for any adult day care center. By carefully assessing your needs, comparing features, and staying current with trends, you can find a solution that streamlines operations, improves care, and supports client well-being. With the right tools in place, your center can thrive and continue making a positive impact on those who need it most.
We'd love to show you Ankota's Adult Day Care Software. If you'd like to learn more please contact us.
Ankota's mission is to enable the Heroes who keep older and disabled people living at home to focus on care because we take care of the tech. If you need software for home care, EVV, I/DD Services, Adult Day Care centers, or Caregiver Recruiting, please Contact Ankota.
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