High School

While you are in high school, you should take classes that prepare you for postsecondary training. These include mathematics, business, family and consumer science classes as well as science classes, such as biology. To improve your understanding of people, take history, psychology, and sociology classes. Because communication is an important skill, English and speech classes are also good choices.

Postsecondary Training

Because this is a relatively new and growing field, there are no national standards to follow for becoming an adult daycare coordinator. Some people have learned their skills on the job; others have taken courses in-home nursing or health care; still others have completed bachelors degrees in areas such as health and human services. As the need for and popularity of daycare services continues to grow, more employers will begin to expect coordinators to have at least some formal education.

Many employers prefer to hire candidates who meet the standards set by the National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA). To meet these standards, a coordinator must have a bachelors degree in health or social services or a related field, with one years supervisory experience in a social or health services setting. In preparation for such a career, a college student might choose occupational, recreational, or rehabilitation therapy, social work, or human development. An increasingly popular major for potential adult daycare coordinators is gerontology or geriatrics.

The Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education publishes the Online Directory of Educational Programs in Gerontology and Geriatrics, which contains information on U.S. and international programs at a variety of educational levels. Although specific courses vary from school to school, most programs consist of classes in social gerontology, biology and physiology of aging, psychology of aging, and sociology of aging. In addition to these four core classes, most programs offer elective courses in such areas as social policy, community services, nutrition and exercise, diversity in aging, health issues, death and dying, and ethics and life extension.

A practicum or field placement is also a part of most gerontology programs. This allows students to obtain experience working with both well-functioning elderly people and those with age-related disabilities.

Other Education or Training

The National Adult Day Services Association offers a variety of webinars and other continuing education opportunities to members. The NADSA also holds an annual conference and online webinars; recent topics included "An Introduction and Overview of Accreditation in Adult Day Services" and "Financing the Growth of Your ADS Center." The Gerontological Society of America also provides continuing education opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.

Certification or Licensing

The National Certification Council for Activity Professionals offers certification to activity directors.

Regulations can vary by state. In some states, for example, the agency that a coordinator works for must be licensed or certified by the state Department of health. Any adult day care center that receives payment from Medicare or other government agencies must be certified by the state Department of health. In these cases, licensing requirements may include requirements for coordinators and other staff members. The trend is toward stricter standards.

The adult daycare coordinator can also pursue certification courses like medical assistant and a certified nurse assistant (CNA) to ensure working as an adult daycare coordinator.

In general, there is no need to have any mandatory licenses to work as an Adult Daycare Coordinator, but to work in some nursing homes the state may require a social worker license.

There are some certification offered by some associations.

• Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (PAHCOM)
• American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
• Certified nursing home administrator certification offered by the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA).

Aspiring adult daycare coordinators should try to obtain as much volunteer and on-the-job experience at adult daycare centers or in other settings where services are provided to the elderly.

Certain personal characteristics are necessary for success in this field. Compassion and an affinity for the elderly and disabled are vital, as are patience and the desire to help others. You should also be organized and able to manage other workers effectively. Communication skills are very important since you will be working with staff, clients, regulatory agencies, and clients families.

An adult daycare coordinator requires both soft and hard skills to explore the field. Hard skills such as CPR, community outreach, mental illness, substance abuse, and managing crises. Soft skills are also important to an adult daycare coordinator to administer to patients, provide them with technical assistance, and give clinical supervision.