If your aging parents are staying with you, you may want to consider an adult day center so that you can attend to your other responsibilities. These centers are designed to provide care for older individuals who need assistance with daily activities. People who spend time in these centers can lead a better quality of life since they come with certain benefits. Discussed below are some of the benefits of adult day centers.
Proper Care
Adult day centers offer proper care that you may not be able to provide because of work or other engagements. Most aging parents, especially over the age of 65, require some kind of help to get around or do certain things. There are professionals with experience in providing care to elderly persons in adult day centers who will take care of your aging parents. Throughout the country, about 52% of clients in day centers have some type of cognitive impairment. This means, when left on their own, they can be a danger to themselves by forgetting tasks like leaving the gas on or leaving the doors open. However, with these centers, there are always supervising senior citizens and ensuring they are not in harm's way.
Nutritious Meals
Adult day centers serve the seniors nutritious meals and accommodate the needs of those on special diets. It may be hard for your aging parents to come up with a healthy meal plan, hence needing assistance if they are to eat right. When left on their own, it can be hard to purchase and prepare fresh meals. Most seniors are usually on some type of medication that can lead to reduced appetite and nausea, too. This can discourage them from eating, leading to skipped meals. However, with day centers, despite those challenges, they will work on accommodating the needs of your aging parents while at the same time ensuring they have healthy meals.
Medical Assistance
Another way adult care centers can be of help is through medical assistance. Health issues are common among older people, and a few of them need constant monitoring as they are under some kind of treatment. Most of these centers come with a health program and a registered health professional to monitor the health conditions of the seniors there. It can range from monitoring their blood pressure, dispensing medicine, and vision screening to therapeutic services. Such exercises can detect a condition early, allowing the patient to receive care immediately. Any clients who receive physical therapy within two weeks after a back, knee, or neck injury can significantly reduce the need for pain medication. This is why day centers are essential. They provide immediate medical care for the elderly and can prevent further harm.
Companionship and Fun
Your aging parents will enjoy companionship with other older adults, which will make them feel less lonely. No matter how much you and your other family members have for your aging parents, it may be impossible for you to meet all their social needs. Being in an adult day center with people their age, they are likely to feel more comfortable. This is also a chance for them to get out of the house for social interactions and mental stimulation. These centers come with a wide range of activities, which can be fun when done in groups.
Safety
One of the common conditions that you will find with aging parents is Alzheimer's disease. This puts them at risk of forgetting a task they were doing. Maybe they went out for a walk and forgot the way, or they left the door open, making it easier for someone to rob them. In the U.S., about 4.9 million people get arrested and jailed each year. With such numbers, you can tell many wrongdoers are walking around the streets who may cause harm to your aging parents. These day centers provide safety for senior people on a daily basis.
When choosing a day center, ensure it can meet the above needs. If you choose this path, help your parents adjust through gradual change by taking them once or twice a week and later transitioning to a whole week. You may find that an adult day center was the best option for your aging parent's health, medical, social, and safety needs.
