Adult Day Care Can Be Helpful
If you have an older parent who can no longer take care of himself and you don't want to place him in a retirement home then you might want to consider adult day care especially if you and your spouse both work. Adult day care centers are typically filled with people suffering from Alzheimer's disease or the frail.
If your loved one does not suffer from Alzheimer's and you would rather he not be placed with Alzheimer patients there are adult day care centers that do not take Alzheimer's patients. It is also far less expensive when compared to full time help at a nursing facility. They usually have staff that are experienced in dealing with frail seniors and seniors who are dealing with dementia.
Finding an Adult Day Care Center
Ask your doctor for a recommendation or you can call the local agency on aging or you can always get recommendations from your local senior center. If you can't find someone to provide you with a recommendation you can always check your local yellow pages and do some thorough research on the facilities you are considering.
Evaluating Adult Day Care
Make sure the center has obtained a state license or a certification and find out how long they have been in business. Introduce yourself to the staff and get to know them. Find out the hours they keep and if they provide transportation to and from their facility. When inquiring about the cost make sure you find out if there are any hidden costs they have failed to mention but that will show up later.
Check out the dining room at the adult day care center and see if they are serving quality, healthy food and see how the dining room staff treats the clients. If your parent has severe dementia or a physical handicap find out if the center you are considering is equipped to deal with him and ask for details. Also if you meet the relatives of the people being taken care of at the facility ask them how their family member is being treated.
You can also choose to have qualified professional caregivers provide services to your aging parent at home. Services that can be provided include cleaning the house, making meals, bathing, assisting them in getting dressed for the day and just making sure they don't get into dangerous situations.
Nursing care can also be obtained for your elderly parent at home. Make sure you check their qualifications and ask for references. An adult day care facility might be a good solution for finding care for your elderly parent.
