| Course | HCA 501 Perspectives on Aging and the Life Course |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 3 |
| Paper type | Field reflection paper |
| Length | About 508 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | MA in Aging |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for HCA 501 Module 3
A Morning at an Adult Day Health Center: Reflections on an Agency Visit
Student Name
MA in Aging, Arizona State University
HCA 501: Perspectives on Aging and the Life Course
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
A Morning at an Adult Day Health Center: Reflections on an Agency Visit
The Agency
The center is a nonprofit adult day health program in central Phoenix that serves about 60 adults a day, most in their seventies and eighties, many with dementia, stroke or Parkinson's disease. Participants come weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., often so that a family caregiver can keep working. I interviewed the program director, a social worker, and toured the center with her.
What I Learned
The center offers far more than supervision. A registered nurse manages medications and checks blood pressure and blood sugar; a physical therapy assistant leads strength and balance groups; a social worker supports families; and activity staff run music, art and reminiscence programs. Lunch and snacks are served, and transportation is available for some participants. The director described weekly team meetings in which the nurse, social worker and activity staff discuss each participant, which made the interprofessional teamwork from this week's training modules concrete.
The center's second client, the director said, is the family caregiver. Many participants would otherwise need nursing home care, and the center lets families keep a parent at home. She described caregivers who had been close to quitting their jobs. Research supports her point: in a study of 121 family caregivers of people with dementia, caregivers faced fewer stressors on the days their relative spent at an adult day program, and the relatives showed fewer evening behavior problems (Zarit et al., 2011).
Cost is a barrier. Families paying privately face a daily fee, while some participants qualify through Medicaid long-term care coverage or veterans' benefits. The director said waiting lists form for subsidized slots.
What Surprised Me
I expected a quiet room. Instead, the center was busy and social, and participants who were silent at drop-off joined songs from their youth an hour later. It reminded me of continuity theory, which suggests that older adults adapt best when they can keep using familiar skills and identities (Atchley, 1989). The center's reminiscence and music programs seem designed around that idea.
I was also struck by how many participants arrived by family car, suggesting that families without a driver may be unable to use the service.
Would I Refer a Client?
Yes, for an older adult with dementia or physical limitations who lives with a working caregiver and needs daytime supervision and health monitoring, and whose family can manage the cost or qualifies for coverage. I would not refer someone who needs overnight care or one-on-one nursing. Before referring, I would confirm transportation and current openings.
Reflection
The visit changed how I think about long-term care. I had pictured a choice between home and a nursing home. Adult day health care sits between them and supports both the older adult and the caregiver. It also complicates the idea of successful aging as avoiding disease and disability (Rowe & Kahn, 1997); many participants here live well with serious illness because the right support surrounds them. I will add the center to my list of local resources.
References
Atchley, R. C. (1989). A continuity theory of normal aging. The Gerontologist, 29(2), 183-190. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/29.2.183
Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (1997). Successful aging. The Gerontologist, 37(4), 433-440. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/37.4.433
Zarit, S. H., Kim, K., Femia, E. E., Almeida, D. M., Savla, J., & Molenaar, P. C. M. (2011). Effects of adult day care on daily stress of caregivers: A within-person approach. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 66B(5), 538-546. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbr030
What the HCA 501 Module 3 instructions ask for
Reflection Paper 1 in HCA 501 is the field work reflection due in Week 3, the week devoted to interprofessional collaboration training and to identifying resources for older adults in your area. Choose an agency that serves older adults, such as an adult day center, senior center, home care agency or Area Agency on Aging, and arrange an in-person interview with a staff member and a tour of the facility. Then write a reflection of about two pages on what you learned and state whether you would refer a client to the agency and why. The two reflection papers together are worth 200 points, so check the rubric in Canvas for how this first paper is weighted and formatted before you schedule your visit.
How the HCA 501 Module 3 example is put together
The sample opens by describing the agency, its participants and its hours in a few concrete sentences, and names who was interviewed. A section on what the student learned covers services, the team and the role of family caregivers, with one study supporting a point the director made. A section on surprises connects an observation to continuity theory, and the referral section gives a qualified answer that names who the agency fits and who it does not. A short closing reflection explains how the visit changed the student's view of long-term care. The paper reports facts as the director stated them and separates observation from opinion, which keeps a two-page reflection credible.
Reading the HCA 501 Module 3 grading rubric
Instructors look for evidence that the student actually visited and interviewed someone, specific details about services and the population served, thoughtful reflection rather than a brochure summary, a clear referral decision with reasons and links to course concepts such as interprofessional care or theories of aging. Papers lose marks when they sound like the agency's brochure, when they rely on the agency's website instead of the visit, when the referral question is skipped and when they exceed the two-page length. Instructors also value a reflection that notices limits, such as transportation or cost barriers, rather than praising the agency without reservation.
HCA 501 Module 3 help from the desk
Call the agency early, since visits can take a week or more to arrange, and prepare five questions about services, staffing, cost, eligibility and waiting lists. Take notes during the tour and write them up the same day. Ask what the agency wishes the public knew. Decide your referral answer by imagining a specific client. Connect one observation to the week's readings. If you are unsure which agency to choose, the desk can suggest types to look for. Thank the staff member in writing; agencies are more willing to host students who follow up. Keep the paper to two pages. Note the agency's eligibility rules and fees so your referral answer is precise.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More HCA 501 and MA in Aging sample papers
- HCA 501 Module 6: Geriatric Syndrome Presentation
- HCA 502 Module 5: Peer-Reviewed Article Assessment: Qualitative
- HCA 503 Module 7: Paper: Nomadland and Diversity in Aging
- HCA 507 Module 3: Field Interview and Reflection
- HCA 504 Module 3: Case Study Summary: Intergenerational Approaches to Caregiving
HCA 501 Module 3 questions, answered
Where can I find a free HCA 501 Module 3 sample paper?
The full field reflection on a visit to an adult day health center is on this page.
What agencies count for the HCA 501 field reflection?
Any agency providing services to older adults, such as adult day centers, senior centers or home care agencies.
How long is HCA 501 Reflection Paper 1?
About two pages.
What must the HCA 501 reflection include?
What you learned from the interview and tour, and whether you would refer a client to the agency.
Does adult day care help caregivers?
In a study of 121 dementia caregivers, stress exposure dropped on days the relative spent at an adult day program.