By Jackie Bowers, Director, IPMR Senior World
The quote, “What we see depends upon where we sit,” speaks to the fact that our perception is crucial in making accommodations to the challenges of caring for a loved one who may need Adult Day Services. It also speaks to the fact that family members and friends often see things in a much different way than the caregiver. Even the caregiver and the loved one may be experiencing that same reality but in a different way.
When a person has cognitive changes, their level of awareness may vary from denial to acceptance. It can be challenging to admit that you need help, especially if you’ve been a highly independent person used to caring for others all your life.
- Denial: It is human tendency to deny things that are painful.
- No awareness: Not aware of their limitations. They may refuse assistance since they do not see that they need help. They are not in a state of denial; they simply lack insight due to cognitive changes.
- Some awareness: Some insight into their limitations, especially when they are put into a demanding situation. The experience of “living in the moment” is often their outlook.
- Greater awareness: Those with most awareness are prone to suffer from depression. They may experience grief with their losses and concerned about their future.
What are caregiver’s obstacles for looking for help to maintain their loved one in their home? Guilt. It is difficult to consider allowing “strangers” to care for your loved one. Also, it is the acceptance of the reality of their loved one’s condition. It is the awareness of community resources, finances, and transportation.
When to Opt for Adult Day Service
As with any service, the best time to start exploring what’s available is before you actually need it. When should a caregiver seriously consider using adult day care for a loved one?
- Can no longer structure his or her own daily activities
- Is isolated and desires companionship
- Can’t be safely left alone at home
- Lives with someone who works outside the home or who is frequently away from home for other reasons
Adult Day Services
Adult Day Services are not widely known nor well understood even though Adult Day Services emerged in the United States in the 1970s. Adult Day Services are also undervalued and underappreciated as an important service provider in the long-term care continuum.
Among older adults, cognitive disability is a growing concern, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions that result in dementia. Nearly two-thirds of Americans over age 65 will need long-term care: at home, through adult day health care, care in an assisted living community, or nursing home (Genworth Financial, 2010).
Disability is not limited to older adults. While most people think of long-term care as impacting only those in their senior years, 40 percent of people currently receiving long-term care services are ages 18 to 64 (Genworth Financial, 2010). These statistics provide evidence that there is a growing need for long-term care options and that there are and will be persons who can utilize Adult Day Services as an option in their long-term care. At the very least, Adult Day Services provide important respite for the primary caregiver and thus may make the critical difference for allowing an impaired person to remain at home.
IPMR Senior World Adult Day Services, in Peoria and Morton, is a service that provides an organized program of care during the day, Monday through Friday, in a community group setting for the purpose of supporting the personal independence of older adults and promoting their social, physical, and emotional well-being in a supervised safe environment. The program offers medical monitoring, and a variety of activities designed to meet the individual needs and interests of the participants. Nutritional meals and snacks are also provided.
IPMR is a non-profit comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility. IPMR Senior World is an example of the IPMR mission to improve function and quality of life. For more information or a guided tour of IPMR Senior World, Peoria or Morton, please call 309-495-4530.
Photo credit: Squaredpixels//iStock