It’s a question that you ponder about when you are taking care of your loved ones. Adult day care seems scary and also seems like it is a step above putting someone into a nursing home. This is not the case, however; it can be relieving to both the caretaker and the loved one to have a program to assist families with this transition.

Similar to child day care, adult day care is a type of program that looks after an adult while caretakers are out at work, completing errands, or other tasks. There are many programs that fulfill this basic function but there are different types of programs that provide specific types of care to the adult who needs them.

What are the Benefits of Adult Day Care?

Research is increasing that adult day care is an option that provides the perfect blend of mental and physical activity to clients who need supervision during the daytime hours. For some clients, it can bring the best of both care situations: living at home while also receiving the medical attention they need throughout the day without interrupting family life. Adult day care is an option that gives some relief to both clients and their families since they know that the client is safe with professional staff and allows the family members to stave off caretaker stress.

Programs hosted at adult day centers also give the benefit of a guaranteed routine for the client, allowing your loved one to feel more at ease while completing this major life transition. Senior depression is more common than most people anticipate, which can go hand in hand with caregiver fatigue. Adult day care is a resource that is a win-win for everyone; it gives seniors some much needed social time, and caregivers some worry-free time off.

What Does an Adult Day Care Program Look Like?

Adult day care centers can have programs that vary but they all share the same goal: consistency. A typical schedule can look like this:

• 8 AM to 9 AM – Breakfast
• 9 AM to 10 AM – Discussions (can be political or religious in nature, confirm with the program ahead of time to find the right fit for your loved ones)
• 10 AM-12 PM – Planned activities
• 12 PM-1 PM – Lunch
• 1 PM- 2 PM – Resting Period
• 2 PM-3:30 PM – Planned activities
• 3:30 PM-5 PM- Games and Puzzles
• 5 PM – Pickup

The kinds of programming can, again, differ from center to center. Some centers might have a partnership with a local child care center, creating activities that enrich both the seniors and the children. Some centers allow seniors to complete some household chores like cooking and gardening, which can bring back not only their sense of purpose, but might help them regain some strength to complete some activities with greater independence.

What are the Types of Adult Day Care?

There are different types of adult day care: senior care and adult social care. While they are similar, senior care can bring more to the table depending on the need of the client and caregiver. If you ever feel lost with deciding what is right for you and your family, the local aging office has the information you need to make the right decision.

Senior Care

Senior care is adult day care focused on helping elderly people day to day at a center. This type of program gives supervision to seniors and assists families with addressing medical concerns. It also provides a layer of socialization for the seniors.

Adult Social Care

Similar to senior care, this type of adult day care is focused more on social programs that can bring adults of all ages, disabilities, and levels of need together to encourage friendship. While a family caregiver can be loving and attentive to the needs of the person, there is a need to increase the social connection outside of the home. The family provides a special kind of bond but friends can also help the family and person handle the changes in their life.

There is an increasing number of studies that indicate loneliness as a major contributor to the decline in senior health. Both of these types of adult day care programs help connect seniors to their own age group and may result in a friendship that can have health benefits for everyone.

In Conclusion: What is Adult Day Care?

Adult day care is the loving option that gives everyone the best of what they need. Seniors can find friendships and a return to activities under supervision while caregivers can conduct day-to-day tasks. It also provides a safe and supporting environment for loved ones.

Here at Williams Lifts, we provide you with the tools to make your home more comfortable for you or your loved one. Contact us today to learn more!

As caregivers for seniors know, this type of job is not a one-time thing. It can often go on for months or years at a time.

Caregivers for seniors, especially caregivers for elderly parents and caregivers for seniors with dementia, can quickly find themselves drained mentally and emotionally. It’s stressful work, to be sure, and usually, there’s no one to look after the caregiver except the caregiver themselves.

It’s important to look after your own well-being so you can continue providing care for others to the best of your ability. In this article, I will go over some advice that caregivers for seniors can use to take care of their mental and emotional well-being.

Taking Care of Caregivers for Seniors

Taking care of yourself doesn’t just mean staying physically healthy, it means staying mentally healthy as well. It’s easy to prioritize the former over the latter, or not even consider mental health a priority at all. Well, the truth is, when mental health suffers then it affects your ability to function in other areas of life.

One of the best things you can do to maintain good mental health is to be present — that means focusing on the here and now. Caregivers for seniors can often find themselves thinking about too many things at any given time.

• What has to be done today?   
• What has to be done tomorrow?   
• What has to be done next week? Next month?
• What am I doing well?   
• What am I not doing well enough?
• Am I doing all I can possibly do for this person?

There are so many things to think about that it can make your head spin. All of it is important, certainly, but let’s try narrowing it down a bit. Just as your body has a finite amount of physical energy for a single day, it has a finite amount of mental and emotional energy as well. Worrying about things too far down the road will drain the amount of mental energy you have to focus on what needs to be done today.

With that said, caregivers for seniors can do themselves a favor by directing their mental energy toward solving today’s problems. Try worrying less about what needs to be done in the future or conjuring up “what if” scenarios. The person you’re caring for is counting on you to be there for them in the moment, which starts by putting your head in the right place.

Caregivers for seniors should also get in the habit of giving themselves more credit. It’s okay to pat yourself on the back from time to time and recognize when you’ve done a good job. In fact, I encourage it. Not everything is going to go exactly right all the time, but for every little thing that goes wrong, I’m sure there are at least 50 big things you’ve done right.

Again, this goes back to being in the moment. Don’t beat yourself up about something that went wrong yesterday, stay focused on doing the best you can today. Changing your way of thinking can go a long way, and these are just a few things that can help strengthen your mental and emotional well-being.

While you’re here, please also see our guide to home modifications for seniors, which discusses resources such as stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, and power recliners.

The National Family Caregiver Support Program is dedicated to assisting caregivers with grants and funding so they can care for older adults in their home as long as possible. It has been around since 2000, and funding is allocated to states based on their share of the population age 70 and over.

Caregivers can turn to the National Family Caregiver Support Program when they need help with:   

• Acquiring information about how to be a family caregiver
• Gaining access to services
• Individual counseling, organization of support groups, and caregiver training
• Respite care
• Supplemental service

Services provided by the National Family Caregiver Support Program have been shown to reduce caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress thereby extending the length of their care.

Who is Eligible for the National Family Caregiver Support Program?

Specific types of caregivers are eligible to receive services through the NFCSP, as of the 2016 Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. They include:

• Caregivers, including adult family members, providing care to individuals 60 years of age and older.
• Caregivers, including adult family members, providing care to individuals of any age with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
• Non-parent relatives age 55 and older providing care to children under the age of 18
• Parents and relatives, age 55 and older, providing care to adults ages 18-59 with disabilities.

In order to receive access to available programs and services, family caregivers of elderly are asked to present their unique needs to the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Available programs and services vary among states and communities. The most frequently requested services include:   

• Access Assistance Services: Helps caregivers locate services from a variety of private and voluntary agencies.
• Counseling and Training Services: Provides caregivers with counseling, peer support groups, and family caregiver training to help cope with the stress that comes with caregiving.
• Respite Care Services: Provides temporary relief from caregiving responsibilities, either at home or in an institutional setting.

Services provided by the NFCSP have proven to be effective at helping older adults live at home longer. Caregivers who have received access to services report that the services helped them to become a better caregiver— being able to provide care for a longer period of time than would have been possible otherwise.

In Summary

There is no denying that being a family caregiver is a tough job, but it doesn’t have to be done alone. Support programs and services exist in every state because it’s necessary to care for the caregivers as well. Selfless caregivers are honored every year during national family caregiver’s month, but rest assured that support is offered year-round.

Looking after a caregiver’s well-being is of the utmost importance because a healthy caregiver means the care recipient can stay in their own home for up to three times longer. Never neglect your own self-care in the pursuit of caring for loved ones, because your physical and mental health can affect theirs as well. Help exists for a reason.

If you found this article helpful, you might also appreciate our article on self-care tips for caregivers.

November is National Family Caregivers Month, which is a month dedicated to recognizing and honoring family caregivers across the nation.

Every year a different theme is selected for National Family Caregivers Month by the Caregiver Action Network. The theme for 2017 is “Caregiving Around the Clock.”

National Family Caregivers Month was established to:

• Raise awareness of issues that are unique to family caregivers
• Celebrate the hard work of family caregivers
• Drum up support for family caregivers
• Educate family caregivers on how to take care of themselves.  

The theme of “Caregiving Around the Clock” recognizes those who make caregiving a 24/7 job. For some individuals, the job of being a caregiver never ends, such as those who provide care to seniors with Alzheimer’s or children with special needs.

Here are a number of eye-opening family caregivers statistics about those who provide care non-stop — or ‘around the clock’ if you will.

National Family Caregivers Month: Family Caregivers Statistics

Over 90 million Americans are family caregivers, with a large number having to provide care on a 24/7 basis.

Family caregivers are, on average, working mothers of school-aged children. This can make life difficult to balance, as they have to juggle work responsibilities with caregiving responsibilities.

It can be so difficult to balance that family caregivers often have to cut back on their hours at work, take unpaid leave, or even quit jobs completely.

Six out of ten family caregivers work either full-time or part-time jobs in addition to providing care to their loved one.

One of the greatest challenges faced by family caregivers, which most people don’t consider, is managing medications.

Being a family caregiver means much time is spent managing medications. Statistics show the family caregiver is the one managing medications 70% of the time, and perhaps, even more, depending on the severity of the condition.

Since medication is something that has to be taken throughout the day, managing a loved one’s meds can be an around the clock job in and of itself.

Family Caregivers Support

Caregiving can be a rewarding experience, but we must also recognize the potential risks of being an all-day caregiver. This can include stress, poor health, and burnout.

With one of the goals of family caregivers month being to educate caregivers on how to better themselves, the Caregiver Action Network (CAN) has some specific recommendations for around the clock care providers.

Nutrition is key to maintaining the strength, energy, and positivity required to provide all-day care. Caregivers should always set aside time to enjoy a good meal.

Moreover, CAN reminds caregivers to take time for themselves in general. It helps to rest and recharge in order to provide the same level of care day in and day out.

When a caregiver is in good health, the care recipient can stay in their own home up to three times longer.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that family caregivers should be honored year-round, but at the very least take time throughout the month of November to recognize and celebrate these individuals who dedicate their lives to providing care around the clock.

Holiday tips for caregivers can never be too plentiful this time of year. Additional stress and demands are placed on caregivers during the holidays, not only from clients but from the caregivers themselves.

As a caregiver, there’s a tendency to feel as though you need to keep doing more, which could lead to you pushing yourself to a point where it starts to become detrimental to your own health.

We have put together a list of holiday tips for caregivers that are intended to help you de-stress and even enjoy what the season has to offer.

Top Holiday Tips for Caregivers

Avoid Burnout With Time Management
This may be difficult with the many holiday parties and social gatherings going on, but try not to schedule too many events one day after another. Give yourself time to rest when you feel like you need it. This may mean having to miss some events, but in the long run, you’ll be doing what’s best for yourself.

It’s also important to be mindful of the one you’re caring for and their stress levels. Watch for and take note of any changes in personality or behavior. Unusual irritability and fatigue are key signs of holiday burnout. Keep their schedule light during the holidays, and don’t feel guilty about having to turn down the occasional invite from a friend or family member.

Don’t Let Shopping Create Stress
Shopping is an unavoidable expectation of the holiday season, but it doesn’t have to be a stressful one. Simplify the process by buying online from the comfort of your own home whenever possible. If you have multiple friends and family members to buy for but are not sure what to get them, there’s no rule against getting them all the same thing. Find a great gift basket that anyone would enjoy, and buy one for multiple people on your list instead of stressing about what to buy for each individual person.

Don’t Try to Do Everything / Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
In past years you may have worked yourself to the bone preparing Christmas dinner for the one you’re caring for and up to 20 or so guests. Try to start a new tradition by getting others involved in the process, or perhaps having guests bring their own dishes potluck-style. At the very least, do not be afraid to ask for help when you genuinely need it. You’re only capable of so much, and friends and family members are usually more than happy to lend a hand during the holiday season.

Do Something Good For Yourself
Whether you realize it or not, as a caregiver you’re so busy meeting others’ needs that you end up neglecting your own. Enjoy a completely self-indulgent treat this season to reward yourself for the hard work you’ve been putting in not only during the holidays but all year long. Think about what you’ve been longing for — maybe it’s a day at the spa, or laying in bed all day binge-watching Netflix. Whatever it is, do “you” for a full day because you deserve it.

Conclusion

Effective time management can avoid stress and holiday burnout. Streamlining the shopping experience can lead to a much more pleasant season. Ask for help when necessary, and top off the season by doing something good for yourself. If you have additional holiday tips for caregivers, please share them in the comment box below.