38 CFR § 59.160
Adult day health care requirements
November 5, 2020
CFR

As a condition for receiving a grant and grant funds under this part for an adult day health care facility, States must meet the requirements of this section.

(a) Each adult day health care program, when it is co-located in a nursing home, domiciliary, or other care facility, must have its own separate designated space during operational hours.

(b) The indoor space for an adult day health care program must be at least 100 square feet per participant including office space for staff, and must be 60 square feet per participant excluding office space for staff.

(c) Each program will need to design and partition its space to meet its own needs, but the following functional areas must be available:

(1) A dividable multipurpose room or area for group activities, including dining, with adequate table setting space.

(2) Rehabilitation rooms or an area for individual and group treatments for occupational therapy, physical therapy, and other treatment modalities.

(3) A kitchen area for refrigerated food storage, the preparation of meals and/or training participants in activities of daily living.

(4) An examination and/or medication room.

(5) A quiet room (with at least one bed), which functions to isolate participants who become ill or disruptive, or who require rest, privacy, or observation. It should be separate from activity areas, near a restroom, and supervised.

(6) Bathing facilities adequate to facilitate bathing of participants with functional impairments.

(7) Toilet facilities and bathrooms easily accessible to people with mobility problems, including participants in wheelchairs. There must be at least one toilet for every eight participants. The toilets must be equipped for use by persons with limited mobility, easily accessible from all programs areas, i.e., preferably within 40 feet from that area, designed to allow assistance from one or two staff, and barrier free.

(8) Adequate storage space. There should be space to store arts and crafts materials, personal clothing and belongings, wheelchairs, chairs, individual handiwork, and general supplies. Locked cabinets must be provided for files, records, supplies, and medications.

(9) An individual room for counseling and interviewing participants and family members.

(10) A reception area.

(11) An outside space that is used for outdoor activities that is safe, accessible to indoor areas, and accessible to those with a disability. This space may include recreational space and a garden area. It should be easily supervised by staff.

(d) Furnishings must be available for all participants. This must include functional furniture appropriate to the participants' needs.

(e) Unless determined by VA as necessary to accommodate an increased quality of care for patients, an adult day health care facility project may propose a deviation of no more than 10 percent (more or less) from the following net square footage for the State to be eligible for a grant of 65 percent of the total estimated cost of the project. If the project proposes building more than the following net square footage and VA makes a determination that it is not needed, the cost of the additional net square footage will not be included in the estimated total cost of construction.

Table to Paragraph (e)—Adult Day Health Care

Open Table
I. Support facilities [allowable square feet (or metric equivalent) per facility for VA participation]:
Program Director 200
Assistant administrator 150
Medical officer, director of nursing or equivalent 150
Nurse and dictation area 120
General administration (each office/person) 120
Clerical staff (each) 80
Computer area 40
Conference room (consultation area, in-service training) 500 (for each room).
Lobby/receiving/waiting area (150 minimum) 3 (per participant)
Public/resident toilets (male/female) 25 (per fixture).
Dining area (may be included in the multipurpose room) 20 (per participant).
Vending machines 1 (per participant).
Participant toilets (male/female) 25 (per fixture).
Medical support (staff offices/family counseling, etc.) 140 (for each room).
Janitor's closet 40
Dividable multipurpose room 15 (per participant).
Employee lockers 6 (per employee)
Employee lounge 120
Employee toilets 25 (per fixture).
Physical therapy 5 (per participant).
Office, if required 120
Occupational therapy 5 (per participant).
Office, if required 120
Building maintenance storage 2.5 (per participant).
Resident storage 6 (per participant).
General warehouse storage 6 (per participant).
Medical/dietary 7 (per participant).
General laundry1
II. Other Areas:
Participant quiet room 3 (per participant).
Clean utility 120
Soiled utility 105
General storage 100
Nurses station, ward secretary 260
Medication/exam/treatment rooms 75
Waiting area 50
Program supply and equipment 50
Staff toilet 25 (per fixture).
Wheelchair storage 100
Kitchen 120
Janitor's closet 40
Resident laundry 125
Trash collection 60
III. Bathing and Toilet Facilities:
(A) Private or shared facilities:
Wheelchair facilities 25 (per fixture).
Standard facilities 15 (per fixture).
(B) Full bathroom 75

1The size to be determined by the Chief Consultant, Geriatrics and Extended Care, as necessary to accommodate projected patient care needs (must be justified by State in space program analysis).

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101, 501, 1710, 1742, 8105, 8131-8137; Sections 2, 3, 4, and 4a of the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as amended, Public Law 90-480, 42 U.S.C. 4151-4157)


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