Day Program Activities for Adults With Disabilities: Meaningful, Person-Centered Support

The best activities are not simply ways to fill time. They create opportunities for adults to build independence, communicate preferences, strengthen relationships, and participate in community life. 

At Easterseals Southern California, Adult Day Services activities are person-centered, ensuring that everyone has a choice in the way they spend their time each day.  

What Are Adult Day Services? 

Adult Day Services provide daytime support for adults with disabilities. Depending on the provider and the person’s support plan, services may include community participation, skill building, communication support, wellness activities, relationship building, and opportunities to explore personal interests. 

Services, schedules, eligibility requirements, and funding options vary by provider. Adults and families should review current information and ask how each service supports the person’s goals, choices, and daily life. 

Meaningful support may include opportunities such as: 

• Practicing everyday routines that support independence 
• Planning and participating in community outings 
• Exploring personal interests and preferred activities 
• Building communication and self-advocacy skills 
• Developing social connections in ways chosen by the person 
• Participating in wellness, movement, or sensory-friendly activities 
• Volunteering or contributing to community projects when appropriate 

A service should not assume that one schedule or activity type is right for everyone. Whenever possible, adults should be included in decisions about their goals, routines, supports, and how they spend their day. 

What Makes an Activity Meaningful? 

A meaningful activity connects to something that matters to the adult. It may reflect a personal interest, relationship, daily routine, or individual goal. 

Choice and Participation 

Adults may participate in different ways that are tailored to their own needs and goals.  

Programs can offer choices about: 

• Which activity to join 
• What materials to use 
• Whether to work alone or with others 
• How to take part 
• How long to participate 
• When to pause or stop 

Family members and support professionals may assist with planning. However, the individual's preferences and established communication methods should remain central. 

Accessible Support 

Some adults may benefit from visual directions, accessible tools, additional time, quieter spaces, or smaller activity steps. Support should help the adult participate without taking over parts of the activity the person can complete. 

Person-Centered Activity Planning 

Person-centered planning starts with the adult, not the activity calendar. Instead of asking what activity can be offered to a group, support teams can ask what matters to the person and how the day can create opportunities for choice, growth, connection, and participation. 

Turning Interests Into Meaningful Activities 

Activities are more meaningful when they connect to something the adult already enjoys, wants to learn, or wants to contribute. 

Examples may include: 

• Helping plan a preferred community outing 
• Using technology to communicate, schedule activities, or explore interests 
• Preparing food or snacks connected to daily living goals 
• Caring for plants or contributing to a community garden 
• Choosing music, movement, or wellness activities that match personal preferences 
• Practicing communication during real-world routines, such as ordering food or asking for help 
• Exploring volunteer roles that are clearly explained, voluntary, and appropriate for the adult 

The purpose is not for everyone to do the same thing in the same way. A person may participate by making choices, communicating preferences, practicing part of a routine, observing before joining, or contributing in a role that feels comfortable and useful. 

Social Connection and Participation 

Social participation should be built around the person’s preferences, communication style, and comfort level. 

Support can include opportunities to: 

• Spend time with familiar people or build new relationships 
• Practice greetings, conversation, or AAC-supported communication 
• Take part in small-group activities when preferred 
• Join community spaces with appropriate support 
• Share interests through music, storytelling, technology, photos, or objects of meaning 
• Choose quieter or individual options when group settings are not preferred 

Group interaction should not be the only way to participate. Quieter, individual, or shorter options may be appropriate for some adults. Meaningful inclusion involves more than being physically present in a group or community setting. 

This is why Easterseals also offers our Virtual Community, an online platform for participants to connect virtually to their peers while participating in meaningful activities.  

Communication During Activities 

Some adults use augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC devices. AAC includes methods that supplement or provide alternatives to speech.

Examples may include gestures, pictures, communication boards, or electronic devices. Programs should follow each adult’s established communication plan. A person should have a clear way to communicate preferences, request help, and indicate a wish to pause or stop. 

Wellness and Movement Activities 

Wellness and movement activities are most meaningful when they reflect what a person enjoys, what feels accessible to them, and what supports their health, comfort, and daily routine. 

Movement and Wellness Ideas 

Possible options may include: 

• Walking or using wheelchair-accessible routes 
• Stretching or gentle movement 
• Seated movement activities 
• Dance 
• Gardening or outdoor routines 
• Breathing, relaxation, or sensory-friendly wellness routines 

The World Health Organization recommends that adults with disabilities participate in physical activity when possible (World Health Organization, 2020). 

Health and Safety Considerations 

Not every activity is appropriate for every adult. Programs should consider mobility, balance, pain, fatigue, sensory needs, medications, and relevant health guidance. 

Activities That Support Life Skills 

Life skills activities are most helpful when they connect to real routines the person wants or needs to use outside of the program. Support might include practicing one part of a task, making choices throughout the activity, using familiar tools, or building confidence over time in a way that feels respectful and achievable. 

Everyday Life Skill Ideas 

Examples may include: 

• Making a grocery list 
• Comparing prices 
• Preparing a simple snack 
• Sorting laundry 
• Organizing personal items 
• Using a calendar 
• Ordering food 
• Reviewing a transportation route 
• Practicing a workplace routine 
• Learning basic home or community safety 

The goal is not simply to complete a chore or practice a skill in isolation. It is to help the adult take part in daily life with more choice, confidence, and independence, whether that means ordering a favorite meal, helping plan an outing, using a calendar, or taking more ownership of a personal routine. 

Community-Based Activities 

Through community activities, adults can explore what they enjoy, practice independence, and engage with local places, events, and routines in ways that feel meaningful to them. 

Possible destinations include: 

• A public library 
• A grocery or retail store 
• A park or recreation center 
• A museum 
• A community class 
• A coffee shop or restaurant 
• A local event 
• A community garden 
• A volunteer site 

A community outing should have a purpose that is clear to the participant. The adult may help choose the location, plan part of the visit, select an activity, or decide not to attend. 

Volunteer Activities 

Volunteer activities can give adults a meaningful way to contribute to their community, build confidence, and take part in something with a clear purpose. The most valuable opportunities are connected to the adult’s interests, strengths, and preferences—not assigned simply to keep someone busy. 

A participant might help care for a community garden, prepare materials for an event, organize donated items, welcome guests, or support a local project in a role that feels comfortable and clearly explained. 

Volunteer opportunities should always be voluntary, respectful, and matched with the right level of support so the adult understands the task, has a choice in participating, and can take pride in their contribution. 

How to Choose Meaningful Activities 

Choosing meaningful activities is not about filling a schedule with options. It is about understanding what matters to the adult and offering experiences that support choice, communication, confidence, relationships, and everyday participation. 

Staff, families, and support teams can use the following considerations to make sure activities are purposeful and person-centered. 

1. The adult has a clear choice in whether to participate. 
2. The activity connects to the adult’s interests and personal goals. 
3. The adult’s communication method is recognized and used throughout the activity. 
4. Communication, sensory, mobility, and accessibility supports are available when needed. 
5. The activity can be adapted while still preserving meaningful participation and dignity. 
6. Individual, quieter, or shorter options are available for adults who prefer a different way to participate. 
7. The adult has a role that feels meaningful and appropriate to their interests and support needs. 
8. The adult has a clear way to ask for help, take a break, change direction, or stop participating. 

Meaningful day program activities help adults with disabilities take part in daily life in ways that reflect who they are, what they enjoy, and how they want to participate. When activities are shaped around the person, they can support confidence, connection, independence, and a stronger sense of belonging. 

About Easterseals Southern California Adult Day Services 

Easterseals Southern California Adult Day Services support adults with developmental, physical, intellectual, or multiple disabilities through hands-on experiences that promote personal growth, community involvement, and skill development.  

Services may include opportunities to practice community safety, use public transportation, manage money, access community resources, build self-advocacy skills, explore technology, and participate in health and wellness activities. 

Adults interested in services typically begin with a referral from their local regional center, and families can learn more by visiting the Easterseals Southern California Adult Day Services web page.

References 

• Amado, A. N., Stancliffe, R. J., McCarron, M., & McCallion, P. (2013). Social inclusion and community participation of individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51(5), 360–375. 
• Bartlo, P., & Klein, P. J. (2011). Physical activity benefits and needs in adults with intellectual disabilities: Systematic review of the literature. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 116(3), 220–232. 
• Dusseljee, J. C. E., Rijken, P. M., Cardol, M., Curfs, L. M. G., & Groenewegen, P. P. (2011). Participation in daytime activities among people with mild or moderate intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(1), 4–18. 
• Verdonschot, M. M. L., de Witte, L. P., Reichrath, E., Buntinx, W. H. E., & Curfs, L. M. G. (2009). Community participation of people with an intellectual disability: A review of empirical findings. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 53(4), 303–318. 
• Wehmeyer, M. L., & Palmer, S. B. (2003). Adult outcomes for students with cognitive disabilities three years after high school: The impact of self-determination. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 38(2), 131–144. 
• World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour.