Adult Daycare Offers More than you Think

If you are the primary caregiver for an elderly spouse or parent, admitting you need outside help can be difficult. You're independent and capable, have experience caring for your own children, and are ready to assume that responsibility for a loved one. Maybe you balk at the idea of strangers caring for your family member, or maybe you are uneasy with those strangers coming into your home.

Adult daycare is one option that speaks to those concerns, and also provides many extra benefits that in-home care cannot. Adult day care centers are staffed by a permanent team who provide activities that promote well-being and social interaction in a safe supportive environment. The staff turnover is much lower than for in-home health aides, and the 'strangers' on day one will soon become well known to both you and your loved one.

Good candidates for adult daycare are seniors who 1) want the friendship and functional assistance a day care center offers; 2) may be physically or cognitively challenged but don't need 24-hour supervision; or 3) are in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

The benefits to participants, regardless of their health level, are:

• A secure and cheerful environment in which to spend the day
• Enjoyable and educational activities
• Improvement in mental and physical health
• Enhanced or maintained level of independence
• Socialization and support
• Healthy meals

Activities at adult daycare centers will differ depending on situation, but generally include:

• Arts and crafts
• Musical entertainment
• Mental stimulation games like Bingo, Scrabble or card games
• Gentle exercise like yoga or walking
• Books and film screenings and accompanying discussion groups
• Holiday and birthday celebrations
• Local outings

These local outings might be to community gardening plots, daytime concerts, movie theatres or local schools to speak to students about personal experiences and historic events.

Besides recreational activities, some adult daycare centers offer transportation to and from the center, social services and support groups for caregivers, and health services such as blood pressure monitoring and medication management.

Almost Family, an adult day care provider, sums it up best: "Adult daycare offers a win/win situation for everyone in the family; not only for the client who attends the program, but also for the family member who has primary responsibility as caregiver. Adult daycare provides a much-needed respite for the caregiver, affording a break from the physical demands and stress of providing round-the-clock care."

The decision to put your family member in adult daycare may not be an easy one, but the benefits to both you and your loved one can be significant, and may postpone or preclude moving them to an assisted living facility or nursing home.