Is Adult Day Care a Good Option for Your Loved One?

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Adult day care provides a stimulating social atmosphere for older persons while providing caregivers a much-needed break. Begin by researching your options and locating the ideal center for your needs.

Adult day care is a planned activity program in a professional care facility for older persons who need supervised care throughout the day or who are solitary and lonely. Seniors may socialize and participate in organized activities in a group environment at adult day care centers, all while getting the necessary health services. In addition, they provide family caregivers with a break from their caregiving responsibilities while ensuring that their loved one is secure.

The level of care provided varies between facilities. While some centers prioritize social and recreational activities, some also offer limited health and personal care services, and yet others offer more extensive medical and therapy services. Such services may comprise medical care provided by a registered nurse or other health practitioner, as well as physical, occupational, or speech therapy, among others. A third category of facilities will provide persons with a particular medical condition, like dementia or a disability, with specialized care.

What services does adult day care provide?

Enriching participants' lives, enhancing their abilities, and offering plenty of social interaction are the main objectives of a well-run adult day care center. The features of each facility vary, but services may include the following:

  • Social Activities

Planned activities include arts and crafts, musical entertainment, mental stimulation games, stretching, gentle exercise, discussion groups, holiday or birthday celebrations, and local outings. These activities are usually customized to the participant’s abilities and health conditions.

  • Health Services

These can range from more comprehensive medical or therapy treatments and symptom management to medicine delivery, blood pressure monitoring, hearing evaluations, and vision screening, among other things.

  • Personal Care

Staff members at the center can assist with daily living tasks like feeding, walking, grooming, and using the restroom.

  • Nutrition

Day care centers serve wholesome meals, including those that meet special diets, and snacks to elders.

  • Transportation

Some adult day care facilities offer transportation for local outings and to and from the facility.

  • Services for caregivers

Some facilities may offer counseling, caregiver support groups, care planning assistance, and caregiving education.

What are the benefits of adult day care?

Adult day care provides several benefits to the older adults and the caregivers.

Benefits for the older adults

The advantages of an adult day care center might be numerous for the participant.

  • Adult day care facilities offer a safe and secure place to spend the day or a portion of the day.

  • They provide entertaining and informative activities.

  • Healthy physical activity can help reduce the risk of falls..

  • Meaningful social connection can benefit both mental and physical health, as well as help prevent or delay cognitive deterioration.

  • Mental and physical stimulation during the day can help you sleep better at night.

  • Participation in adult day care activities may potentially improve or preserve your degree of independence, allowing you to stay at home longer by easing caregiver fatigue and delaying the onset of dependency.

  • Having control over your activities might boost your self-esteem.

  • Adult day care allows you to make new friends and receive peer support.

Benefits for the caregivers

Utilizing the services of an adult day care center to give yourself a break is not selfish; seeking help and taking care of your health are essential to managing your duty as a caregiver. Your patience and compassion will run thin, it will be more difficult for you to connect with the person you are caring for, and you both will likely feel dissatisfied if you get overburdened by the day-to-day grind of caregiving.

  • You can lower your stress levels and prevent burnout by taking regular breaks from the caregiving responsibilities.

  • Recharging your batteries might help you feel energized, focused, and enthusiastic about your duties as a caregiver.

  • You can continue working, going to school, or spending more time with other family members by using an adult day care center.

  • These facilities can reassure you that your loved one is in a monitored and secure environment rather than at home alone.

Is adult day care the right choice?

Admitting that you're lonely or in need of assistance can be difficult for seniors, especially if you've always been a highly independent person who has taken care of others. However, one must bear in mind that the majority of people over 65 will need long-term care services of some kind. Accepting that you require more assistance than you once did is nothing to be ashamed of. All adults have, at some point in their lives, needed to rely on others for support at work or at home, for professional services, or just for moral support. For many of us, being independent means knowing when to get assistance.

Similarly, it could be hard to think about letting "strangers" look after your cherished family member if you're a caregiver. However, there's no reason not to use adult day care services, even if you believe you're the best person to look after your loved one. In addition to being beneficial to your health and well-being, taking time off can revitalize and refresh any relationship.

When to consider an adult day care

The best time to start looking into what's available is before you genuinely need it, as with any service. You might want to think about utilizing adult day care when a senior cannot plan their own everyday activities anymore, feels lonely and longs for company, cannot be left alone at home, or lives with someone who regularly travels for a job or other reasons or works outside the home.

Seniors who qualify for adult day care programs are those who:

  • May benefit from the companionship and practical help that a daycare facility provides.

  • Are mentally or physically challenged but don't need round-the-clock care

  • Have Alzheimer's in its early stages.

  • Can move, perhaps with a wheelchair, cane, or walker.

Donate Today to Support Caregivers!

Caregiving is a demanding task that often leaves the caregivers physically, emotionally, and financially unstable. The least we can do is to try to alleviate some of their burden by supporting them via donations.

November is National Family Caregivers Month! Let’s honor the dedication and sacrifices of the family caregivers who devote their lives and resources to caring for their loved ones! Don’t forget to support them, which you can do by acknowledging their hard work and donating as much as possible: https://www.alzra.org/donate-now/. 

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