What to do when your Loved One’s dementia begins disrupting daily routines and activities?
As a Caregiver, you may still need to work. Or you’re finding it difficult to complete household tasks and errands because your Loved One is beginning to wander, or the opposite, they want to be by your side at all times. It doesn’t seem safe anymore to leave them alone.
Are you feeling secluded in your home? Maybe your Loved One is content sitting at home, but you worry they are lonely or not experiencing a quality of life. You want to maintain a balance in your life because, like the old saying, you can’t take care of others if you’re not taking care of yourself. But it’s difficult managing all of it. What to do?
There’s a resource that gives time you need while your Loved One has opportunities to socialize with others and stimulate their brain functioning!
Adult day respite programs, also called adult day cares, exist throughout the greater Birmingham metro area. Each facility has its own style, programming, and payment plans but they all have one goal: create a safe and caring environment that supports the needs of those with memory disorders and their Caregivers.
For those of us involved in adult day cares, why do we believe in it? It creates a routine and a schedule for our Loved Ones. The group dynamic can encourage individuals to participate in activities they wouldn’t necessarily do at home.
Caregivers meet others who are experiencing similar circumstances, creating a camaraderie and a family-like approach to caregiving. We see people thriving, not just existing.
How do you find an adult daycare? Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama is a non-profit organization providing education, support, and resources. Not only does their website (alzca.org) list adult daycare facilities in Central Alabama, but they also have scholarships to help pay for adult day
care services. In addition, they have continence and nutritional supplement programs for supplies.
And if you live in the North Jefferson area, The Day Place is an adult daycare right here in Gardendale!
Written by Angela Hammond
Licensed Masters Social Worker & The Day Place/Owner