Senior Citizens are usually considered older adults past the age of 65. Most are retired. There may come a time in your senior loved one’s life when it becomes important for them to get home care or adult day care as living becomes more difficult.

Whether this is due to increasing isolation, inability to keep up their existing property, or physical or mental limitations this transition can be a drastic one for a senior citizen. See our tips for helping your senior loved one make the most of these two options.

Why Home Care or Adult Day Care?

Most reasons are for senior care, assisted healthcare, and to cater for emergencies among other reasons. As they age, many people simply can not care for themselves appropriately anymore. Limitations resulting from physical or cognitive causes and mobility restrictions can require more care.

Aging people are much more susceptible to serious injury after a fall and many live alone. In addition, when seniors become forgetful, it’s dangerous to their health as they may forget when they bought food, putting them at risk of food borne illnesses.

In an adult day care center, a member will come across people with different experiences, which allow them to be social and makes room for daily interpersonal interaction.  Some seniors visit adult day care centers seeking joy and company that their adult children cannot provide due to other responsibilities. Adult day provides fellowship among its members as strangers become friends and share memories or just enjoy each others company.

Adult day care centers allow seniors to engage in physical exercises, dancing, and exchange riddles through their programs aimed at promoting the whole person (i.e. creating joy mentally, physically, and emotionally). When the time comes home care can also be provided to keep them in familiar surroundings at home.

When to Use Home Care or Adult Day Care?

It can be stressful for a senior to imagine leaving the home they have lived in for so long. However, if you notice your aging parent is becoming burdened with any of the below situations, it may be time to consider home care or adult day care.

1. Unmanageable house or property upkeep. This presses for home care because seniors can begin to feel depressed or hurt themselves trying to accomplish tasks they could once easily accomplish.
2. Vacant rooms in the house. This makes for extra cleaning and can cause feelings of loneliness in a senior.
3. After a hospital stay or rehabilitation center. It will be easier to recover from illness or injury in a scenario where you have help and support.
4. There are seniors who suffer from ailments such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. It is advisable for these seniors to use home care or adult day care to have professional help in matters such as remembering to take their medications.

Steps To Take

• When the senior in your life or you have made the decision for home care or adult day care, the most important thing to do is to be empathetic and understanding.

• After sorting everything out, arrangements should be made for the care itself. Ensure that your parent or whoever the senior in your life has the appropriate amount of help.

• It’s normal to feel sad when making a transition from being alone to having help for personal care. Encourage the senior in your life to view the care as a positive step. This helps avoid psychological disturbances, such as depression, isolation, sadness, sleeping problems, despair, and confusion.

Hopefully, this advice will translate into an easy and painless transition to home and adult day care for your senior loved one. For more information on home care or adult day care options for seniors please contact Skylark Senior Care.