Q: My mother, who lives with me, is beginning to get a little confused and forgetful, and I am uncomfortable about leaving her at home while I am at work. A friend suggested I look into a day care program. What could I expect from such a service, and is there one locally?

A: Adult day care service centers provide social activities for frail seniors and seniors with special needs or cognitive impairments. The seniors who attend these programs usually live at home with a family caregiver.

The programs serve two main purposes. First, they offer socialization, proper nutrition, and physical and mental stimulation. Second, they provide respite time and peace of mind for the family.

If you wonder whether day care would be the right choice for a loved one, ask yourself the following questions:

Do you worry about your loved one’s safety at home when alone?

Do you worry that your loved one is unhappy or bored sitting at home alone all day?

Are you worried about the health of your loved one?

Does your loved one seem depressed and have no one to talk to?

Do you want to keep your loved one at home as long as possible?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, adult day care will likely benefit you and your loved one.

Adult day centers allow family caregivers to continue to work, have downtime from continuous caregiving, get help with the loved one’s physical care and provide opportunities for family members to socialize with other adults and prevent social isolation.

To answer the second part of your question, Senior Concerns offers day care services at its center at 401 Hodencamp Road in Thousand Oaks. The center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. the second and fourth Saturdays each month.

For information about day care centers in other cities, call the Area Agency on Aging at 477-7300. To learn more about Senior Concerns Adult Day Center or other programs under the Senior Concerns umbrella, including Meals-on-Wheels, case management coordination, senior advocates services, support groups for caregivers, brain fitness and healthier-living classes, call 497-0189.

HAPPENINGS

Today: “Communication Is a Two-Way Street” seminar. 1:30 to 3 p.m. Westlake Village Civic Center, 31200 E. Oak Crest Drive, Westlake Village. No reservations are required.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email