What is an Adult Day Care Center?
When your elderly parents or loved ones retire, you need to provide proper care and settlement for them. There are various institutions and elderly care programs available to those who wish to provide quality senior care for their loved ones, in case you are unable to attend to them personally. Adult day care is just one of your many options. Why should it be any special?
Also known as Adult Day Services, these facilities offer respite for elderly individuals who need rehabilitation and long-term care. It also provides services such as health services, therapeutic, or encourage social activities to provide a fulfilling retired life for elderly individuals. In fact, most adult day care centers even have programs and services dedicated for elderly individuals who are suffering from certain health conditions, whether cognitive or physical.
Benefits of Adult Day Care Center
Anyone whose had a hand in elderly care realize the difficulty of this responsibility. The inability of elderly individuals to perform daily duties themselves increase their dependency on family members or anyone assigned to care for them at home. But when there is lack of people to dedicate their time in caring for elderly parents or loved ones at home, adult day care centers make a valid option. In fact, here are some benefits you can derive:
Your elderly loved ones will have a safe and secure respite when you lack caregivers or required to work outside the home during the day.
Elderly individuals will benefit from the quality of service provided at adult day care centers. They can stay at home where they are most comfortable in and still have access to elderly care provided by trained caregivers.
Adults enrolled in adult day care center has the potential to meet other elders who are participant in an adult day care center where they can socialize and interact with one another.
There are also options for therapeutic services for elders who are suffering from specific cognitive or physical conditions.
Counseling are provided not just for adult day care center participants but to their families as well, to ensure quality elderly care when at home.
Types of Adult Day Care Center
As of today, there are three types of adult day care center available. Choosing one over the other is critical since they are designed to suit the different needs and preferences of elderly individuals or their families.
1. Adult day social care: Among the services included are social activities, recreation, meals for the entire day, and health-related services according to the elderly individual’s needs.
2. Adult day health care: This one incorporates more intensive therapeutic, health, and social services for those with more serious medical problems and those who need more thorough care instead of home nursing services.
3. Adult day care specific for Alzheimer’s patients: Combines health and social services for aging individuals who exhibit symptoms for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Choosing an Adult Day Care Center
If you plan on entering your elderly parents into an adult day care center, you and your family must conduct thorough research first on your possible options. Take into consideration the needs of your elderly loved ones and compare that to the services offered within a given adult day care center. Also, you must consider the specific type of adult day care center since their services have been specified. Here are components you need to factor in when choosing:
It must have individual needs assessment for the participants.
Must have an active program available for elders whether it be social, recreational, health-related, or rehabilitative.
Treatment plan must be specified towards an individual’s specific needs.
Must have proper criteria and guidelines for standard of services.
Must include amenities or facilities that allow for quality elderly care services.
Volunteers or caregivers must have proper qualification and training.