Adult Day Care May Relieve Caregiver Stress

It"s not easy being a caregiver for your aging parents, and the idea of leaving them home alone all day may cause stress, especially if you feel they need assistance with aspects of daily living.

Equipping the home with a medical alert system in conjunction with adult day care helps relieve stress

There may be a solution that could suit all parties involved: adult day care. These programs are ideal for aging adults who simply need to get out and interact with others. Having a purpose and getting up, getting dressed and getting out of the house may help stave off apathy and being both physically and mentally active could ward off dementia.

Adult day care facilities and their offerings range from a place where your relative can go and interact with his or her peers, play cards, go on day trips and eat meals with others to those that provide assistance with mobility and even occupational and physical therapy sessions.

Depending on the unique needs of your aging parents there are two types of day care programs that are typically available:

• Programs that provide the chance for individuals to socialize, interact with peers and receive health, social services and nutritional support
• Programs that offer intense therapeutic and health services and can serve individuals with medical issues and can be used as a way to avoid nursing home placement

Offering them the opportunity to interact can help with the isolation that many elderly individuals suffer. If transportation is an issue, check with the center itself or with senior service agencies in your community to see whether transportation can be made available.

Caregivers that are employed find that adult day centers provide an excellent way to make certain their aging loved ones are cared for during working hours which allows them to concentrate on the demands of work.

Yet there will be times when your relatives will be home alone. In those instances, it"s a wise choice to equip the home with a medical alert system. At the push of the button on the medical alert pendant, Care Agents respond and are able to notify friends, family or, in more serious situations, emergency medical teams.