Social Adult Day Services – Glossary of Terms

Important Acronyms

AAA – Area Agency on Aging

DOH – Department of Health

Frequently Used Medicare Acronyms

MLTC or MMLTC – Managed Long Term Care or Medicaid Managed Long Term Care

NYC DCWP  New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. DCWP’s Licensing Center accepts license and permit applications on behalf of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). DOHMH issues many types of licenses and permits under the NYC Health Code. Visit DOHMH’s Permits and Licenses web page.

NYSADSA – New York State Adult Day Services Association

NYSOFA – New York State Office for the Aging

OMIG – Office of the Medicaid Inspector General


Terms to Know

Activities of Daily Living (ADL) – toileting, mobility, transferring, or eating.

Adult Day Services in New York State – Adult Day Health Care, Day Services or Day Habilitation, Social Adult Day Services.

Core Services – each program and service place must include socialization, supervision and monitoring, personal care, and nutrition.

Functionally Impaired – needing the assistance of another person in at least one ADL, or needing supervision due to cognitive and/or psycho-social impairment.

Nutrition – providing meals at normal meal times, and snacks and beverages at appropriate times. Nutrition in each program must meet the NYSOFA requirements for a nutrition program for the elderly OR participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

OMIG Certification – certification completed by those who receive funding from MLTC or MMLTC providers. This is shared with OMIG, DOH, and NYSOFA.

Participant – an adult individual who is eligible for and receiving social adult day services.

Personal Care – includes some or total assistance for the participant with toileting, mobility, transfer, and eating. Personal care may also include total assistance with ADLs, assistance with bathing/showers, dressing, grooming, routine skin care, changing simple dressings, using supplies and adaptive/assistive equipment, and self-administration of medicine.

Social Adult Day Services – also known as Day Programs, Social Day Care, Social Adult Day Care. A structured, comprehensive program which provides functionally impaired individuals with socialization, supervision and monitoring, personal care, and nutrition in a protective setting during any part of the day, but for less than a 24-hour period. Additional services may include and are not limited to maintenance and enhancement of daily living skills, transportation, caregiver assistance, and case coordination and assistance.

Socialization – planned and structured activities which utilize the participant’s skills to the fullest extent possible; respond to the participant’s interests, capabilities, and needs; and minimize any impairments in capacity to engage in those activities. Includes social, intellectual, cultural, educational, and physical group activities. Encourages and stimulates the participant to interact with others and seeks to establish, maintain, or improve the participant’s sense of usefulness to self and others; the desire to use his or her physical and mental capabilities to the fullest extent; and his or her sense of self-respect.

Supervision and Monitoring – observation and awareness of the participant’s whereabouts, activities, and current needs. Protects the safety and welfare of the participant and provides ongoing encouragement and assistance to the participant.