For caregivers of disabled or dependent adults, the juggling ofwork, life and guardianship can push even the strongest person intoemotional overload.
For dependent adults living at home, spending time alone can dothe same thing.
Traditionally, options for professional caregiving have beenlimited to nursing homes and home-based nurse assistance. But thehigh cost, both emotionally and financially, of full-timeprofessional care has led to the emergence of adult daycare.
'It's not a babysitting service,' said Lorie Leidel, owner anddirector of Adult Day Services Inc. in Colorado Springs. 'Membersdon't sit in front of a television all day. They could do that athome.'
Members, as Leidel calls them, participate in activities includingdiscussions about current events, music therapy, physical activities,financial planning lessons, science experiments, games, and arts andcrafts.
The mere presence of a peer group heightens socialization andprevents the boredom and dangers associated with the disabled andseniors staying home alone.
Adult Day Services Inc. is a social-medical model daycare, with acertified nursing assistant on staff and a registered nurse who workstwo hours a day. The focus is not on medical care, but rather thescheduling of activities that cater to the needs and wants ofparticipants.
'I like to think of it as a club that members join to spend timewith people their age,' Leidel said. 'We try and focus on activitiesand not medications. This is a social environment and not ahospital.'
Like many adult day services, ADS provides transportation for afee, and members can run errands and visit doctors' offices, duringthe day, reserving more quality time at home after a caregiver's dayat work.
Adult daycare facilities fall into one of three categories:medical, social and Alzheimer's-specific.
Medical models provide physical therapy, psychiatric services,geriatric physicians and therapists in addition to the scheduleddaily activities of the social model. These services are moreexpensive than social daycare, but are less expensive thanresidential assisted living facilities.
Many participants in medical model daycare use home care nursingassistance to complement daycare, thereby receiving around-the-clocksupport at a price comparable to a residential assisted livingcommunity.
For those struggling with the early stages of Alzheimer's or otherforms of dementia, the Alzheimer's-specific model provides a safeenvironment during participants' 'wandering' stage and encouragessocialization and interaction with others.
The Namaste Alzheimer's Center in Colorado Springs offers a dayprogram and a skilled care, overnight program for participants.Medical staff from the skilled care wing assists the day program whennecessary.
Emphasis is not placed on the medical care, but rather the fullrange of activities available during the day.
'There are so many activities it's hard to name them all. We offerpainting, musical therapy, aromatherapy, cooking, ball classes,chapel and outings just to name a few,' said Paula Levy. 'Ouractivities department makes the schedule and mixes up what(participants) do to keep things interesting.'
The cost of the Penrose Hospital-owned facility ranges from $30for a half-day to $65 for a full day.
At Rocky Mountain Health Care, enrollees of the adult day programare patients who have suffered traumatic brain injury and needassistance with life skills and re-socialization.
'The program is community based, meaning participants take tripsto the YMCA and the library,' said Bregitta Hughes, the directory ofthe day program. 'We work on cognitive refocusing and skills neededfor daily life.'
All-inclusive care costs $160 a day, but state funding devoted tosupporting brain-injured adults often helps caregivers pay the bills.
The cost for adult daycare varies depending on the financial needof participants and the types of services offered by a facility.Medical model facilities are the most expensive because of the costof a medical staff, but Medicare can help qualified seniors withexpenses.
When dependent adults stay in the home, even if they are enrolledin daycare, insurance companies save money, which is why many long-term care policies and flex-benefits packages offer financial aid forcaregivers.
For those considering using adult day care services, the firststep is to identify the appropriate type of model.
Shop around. Gather a list of facilities that, on paper, meet theindividual's needs and then visit each facility. And be prepared toask questions.
Not all seniors who could benefit from daycare services are quickto enroll. Some caregivers do not want someone else taking care of aparent or loved one, and some seniors and disabled adults feelthreatened by the idea of going to 'daycare.'
'The hardest thing is getting adults to try adult daycare,' Leidelsaid. 'They may feel too independent for a 'babysitting' service ormay be turned off by the medical side of care.'
Firsthand experience spurred Leidel's interest in opening an adultdaycare facility - she watched her father struggle with home care forthe last two years of his life.
'He couldn't get out of the house and he had no one to talk to,'she said. 'We are social creatures, and I think if he had someone totalk to he would have lived longer.'
Although the number of adult day services has doubled since the1980s, correlating with the aging of the baby boomers, the availableservices can't accommodate the need.
According to a study conducted by the Partners in Caregiving, ElPaso County needs eight new facilities - of the 58 needed in Colorado- to meet demand.
