Families caring for aging loved ones struggle to balance work, family responsibilities, and caregiving. Adult Day Care programs provide a respite opportunity for family caregivers and a fun, engaging, safe place for seniors to spend some time during the day.
Often family caregivers don’t think about an adult day program until they are exhausted, anxious and overwhelmed. Many times the longer they wait to help, the more dependent their loved one becomes on them, making a new transition more difficult.
It’s actually more beneficial to have a loved one begin coming to a program while he or she can fully participate and enjoy the activities and company of others. Then as their abilities and needs change, they are familiar with the setting and feel loved and cared for.
Considerations when thinking about having a loved one attend adult day care
Even when seniors may seem “just fine” alone during the day, they may feel lonely or unsure about what to do with themselves. They may not be able to do things they used to do, like cooking, so they just eat something cold or they skip eating.
Think about the following when asking yourself if your loved-one could benefit from an adult day care program:
- Do they have difficulty planning their day?
- Is it hard for them to focus on a task such as reading or watching TV?
- Do they feel lonely or isolated?
- Can they be safely left alone during the day?
- Do they feel uncertain and anxious when left alone?
- Do they need attention that causes you to feel anxious, depressed and uncertain about what to do?
Choosing an Adult Day Care program
There are several different types of Adult Day Care programs depending on your loved one’s care needs:
- Social – These types of programs provide meals, recreational activities, social interaction and some health-related services.
- Medical/health – These programs provide some social activities as well as more in-depth health and therapeutic care and are often associated with medical or skilled nursing facilities.
- Specialized centers – These programs focus on specific care recipients, such as those with diagnosed dementias or developmental disabilities.
The Aspen Senior Day Center in Provo is a Specialized Adult Day Program
The Aspen Senior Day Center in Provo is the only program of it’s kind in Utah Valley. The Aspen Senior Day Center is dedicated to helping seniors with memory loss maintain their cognitive skills for as long as possible while enjoying a safe, fun environment.
Aspen’s philosophy is all about quality of life and we believe that no matter what stage of memory impairment, seniors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We want them to be able to enjoy life as fully as possible.
The Aspen Senior Day Center also strives to empower family caregivers by helping them find community resources and educational material about dementia-related issues and sponsoring a monthly support group for families caring for loved ones with memory loss.
We would love to hear from you and answer any questions you might have about our program. For more information and to schedule a tour call 801-607-2300. Visit aspenseniorcenter.org and our Facebook page for more information and to see some our fun, engaging activities.