Benefits of Adult Day Care
Benefits of Adult Day Care
Friday December 21, 2018
An adult day care offers many benefits for both seniors and their caretakers. The ability for the senior to age-in-place in their own home becomes more achievable by incorporating an adult day care program into their care. Seniors can benefit from the many programs and caregivers can accomplish other tasks while also reducing some of the stress that accompanies caregiving. This blog will explore the benefits of senior day care.
Socialization and Activities
Seniors and their caregivers can become very isolated when living at home. Socialization and spending time with others is a major benefit of attending a senior day care. Having a routine provides the senior with a new purpose and a reason to get up in the morning. This new routine will hopefully include making new friends at the center, including staff and other seniors. Getting involved in activities is important for the senior’s cognitive abilities. Many of the activities, such as word games, current events and discussions, are geared toward strengthening and challenging cognitive abilities. Time, day, month and holiday orientation should be part of the program’s daily routine. This is important as it helps seniors who may be disoriented at home due to cognitive changes or isolation.
Medication Management
A comprehensive adult day center, which may be called a medical adult day center, will help manage medication and medical issues. It is not unusual for a senior to forget to take their medication or to take the incorrect dosage. It can also be a very taxing responsibility for the caretaker. A medical adult day care can help relieve the caregiver of this burden and ensure the senior is taking the correct medication.
Look for a medical adult day center that has trained medical professionals on staff daily, including nurses and/or nurse practitioners. Having this extra layer of medical support can be incredibly important in helping to identify early changes in the senior’s health. Early identification means that intervention can happen quickly, before health problems get too severe.
Nutrition
Nutrition is a very important benefit of an adult day care. Many seniors may skip meals at home, which causes them to lose weight or to become dehydrated. At an adult day care center, trained staff can monitor how much the senior is eating and make sure they are getting enough nutritional content. Additionally, meals provide a social aspect and are often looked forward to by the participants. Caregivers don’t need to worry because the meals at a quality adult day care are highly nutritious. Meals can also be themed-based for the holidays or other celebrations. Caregivers who previously struggled to find ways to get their loved ones to eat at home are pleased to see that food is now part of a celebratory act.
Adult day care can benefit both the senior and their caregiver. The benefits are endless, including socialization, medication management, nutrition, cognitive enrichment, purpose and free time for the caretaker. It is important to research the adult day care facility by visiting - spend a day at each facility you are considering with your loved one, meeting the staff and checking references.
For more information on the benefits of a senior day care, please click here.
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