Many consider an adult day center a last resort when you can’t handle all daycare alone any longer.  The fact is that an adult day center can offer a lot more than a break.  The care facility is a fantastic opportunity for those with Alzheimer’s to interact and be social and to participate in activities that they may not be able otherwise.  Imagine your loved one enjoying music or stretching through some exercises while you get some much-needed rest.  An adult day center can be good for everyone and they offer a wide variety of helpful services.

Available Services

The available services will vary depending on the provider but when you meet with them for the first time you can ask what they offer.

Counseling Support

Most centers will offer some sort of counseling for your loved one and for yourself.  Caretaking is extremely difficult and having someone to speak with can be essential.  They can help you to understand what to expect with Alzheimer’s and will keep you from feeling alone.  When necessary they can provide guidance and may help you decide when it is best to move to out-of-home care.

Medical

If your loved one needs medical assistance, such as the taking of medications, there should be staff to assist.  Make sure to ask if they provide this and other medical services.

Meals

If the individual is going to be at the adult care center all day it is essential to ask about meals and snacks.  Take care to ask what they serve to decide if it is nutritious and healthy.  If a special diet is required make sure you speak with the facility about it.

Personal Needs

At some point most Alzheimer’s sufferers will need some sort of personal care including help with the toilet, showering, eating, etc.  Ask if the facility offers this type of service.  This can be a deal-breaker.  Without the proper personal care quality of life can diminish so make sure that it is covered at the adult care center you select.

Behavior handling

Alzheimer’s can bring a wide range of symptoms, some of them include hallucinations and/or inappropriate behaviors.  Discuss with the facility how they handle these cases.  All of the staff should be properly trained and should know what to do.  Their training will help keep everyone at the day center safe and is essential.

Wild Rose Care Home is not an adult daycare center.  Our facility is a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly, otherwise known as an R.C.F.E.  To learn more about Wild Rose Care Home visit http://wildrosecarehomes.com or call owner Mary Garcia, RN.  We provide 24-hour non-medical care for the elderly, much like an adult daycare center but for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Engage Seniors With Dementia Through Familiar Activities That Trigger Their Interests

There is no one-size-fits-all activity program for seniors with dementia. Not all seniors have equivalent levels of mental acuity or cognition. As a result, activity programs for seniors with dementia must be focused on the individual resident and tasks that are both familiar and intriguing to the resident. For instance, if a senior with Alzheimer’s disease shows an interest in folding clothes, the activity can be turned into a daily ritual. The effect of performing these familiar tasks is often a decrease in negative behaviors and agitation.

Identify Activities The Resident Shows An Interest In

Some residents express an interest in performing a familiar task or are able to communicate their desire to engage in a type of activity. However, many residents with dementia have difficulty communicating their wants and needs. Therefore, residents with dementia must often be exposed to several activities before a demonstrated interest can be identified. Introduced activities can be mental, social, physical, or creative in nature. Some activities can be simply tactile for residents with advanced dementia. For example, holding and petting a stuffed animal can have a calming effect on residents with dementia. (To buy an excellent stuffed pet for your loved one with dementia visit http://memorablepets.com. You can also donate a stuffed pet anonymously through their Pets 2 People program).

About Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Many senior citizens with memory loss can attribute their dementia to Alzheimer’s disease. (In fact, 50-70% of dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer’s disease). Unfortunately, the manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia such as mood swings, confusion, and personality changes often require a transition of the individual from independent living into assisted care. However, even in an assisted living facility with 24-hour care, some seniors with advanced dementia require a facility with staff trained in dementia care. Simply put, not all assisted living facilities in Santa Rosa are equal to the task of dementia care. Residential care facilities for the elderly that function more as room-and-board than personal care facilities often fail to deliver adequate care. As a result, many residents with advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s disease seek assisted living facilities with a reputation for memory care.

Challenging Symptoms Related to Dementia

Some symptoms related to dementia prove especially challenging for assisted living facilities and family members. Confusion and disorientation are symptoms correlated with dementia. In larger senior living environments confusion can be aggravated in a number of ways. Confusing floor plans can invite disorientation and noisy areas can aggravate confusion. In a smaller assisted living environment aggravating stimuli are decreased and the more home-like atmosphere often proves more conducive to dementia care. Likewise, negative and inappropriate behaviors related to dementia can be aggravated by external stimuli. To mitigate these behaviors a quiet atmosphere should be established.

Dementia Care Strategies

Dementia care is an exercise in patience. The caregiver cannot get upset over dementia behaviors or rush seniors as they perform their daily tasks slowly. Simple steps such as establishing quiet environments and occupying residents with cognitively appropriate tasks and activities can prove beneficial. Avoid the temptation to reorient a resident with dementia to reality and instead validate their reality if doing so will lead to positive emotions. For example, if an 80-year-old individual with dementia tells you that he went fishing with his father yesterday, don’t tell the individual that his father is dead and that he did not go fishing. Reorienting the individual to that reality can lead to negative emotions such as mourning over the death of his father. Instead, validate the resident’s reality and ask “what did you and your dad talk about?” This line of questioning can lead to the experience of positive emotions that ultimately prove beneficial to the individual.