Adult Day Centers… A Great Way to Increase Quality Of Life for the Whole Family
Being a family caregiver is a twenty four hour a day, seven days a week job. It is both rewarding and exhausting.
Adult day centers provide life enriching day care for seniors and adults with disabilities. Providing care for a loved one at home has many challenges. Both the caregiver and the loved one can become isolated and cut off from the outside world. Adult day centers provide an excellent way to expand both their worlds thru care, education and support.
A broad spectrum of services is provided by adult day centers. Services include social stimulation, cognitive therapies, spiritual groups, physical activity, and nutrition. Each center also helps in activities of daily living, such as toileting, redirection, and eating assistance.
A typical adult day care recipient is picked up from their home or brought to the center by family, where they take part in daily programing designed to meet their physical needs and stimulate their minds. This allows the family caregiver time to care for themselves, leaving them refreshed and ready to take on their roll as caregiver again when their loved one returns home. Thru daily respite care adult day centers are able to increase the quality of life for the whole family.
Affordable care centers allow people to stay in their homes longer at a fraction of the cost of community based care placement programs. Adult day services can be funded several ways. Many families pay privately, however, both the state and the county have made funds available for adult day centers thru Medicaid, Family Caregiver Support Grant and the Oregon Project Independence. Long term insurance may also pay for a portion of adult day care. The director at the adult day center of your choice will direct you to funding sources which might be available to you.
When selecting a day center consider your geographical location and the needs of your loved one. Take the time to tour several locations to ensure both of you feel comfortable at the location. Adult day centers have a wealth of information about other community resources; they will direct you to any additional services you might benefit from.
Many family caregivers continue giving care at an expense to their own health and well-being. Adult day centers allow for respite for the caregiver, increasing the quality of life for the whole family.
Article Provided By:
Judith O’Connell, owner-director
Mt. Hood Adult Day Center