Adult Day Care: The Break That Family Caregivers Need

For stressed family caregivers, adult day care could be a game changer.
These days it feels like we are all stretched beyond our capacity. For members of the sandwich generation who shoulder the responsibility of working and caring for children and older loved ones, that stretched feeling often seems on the verge of snapping.
Being a caregiver is a fulltime job already, but many family care providers also work outside the home, adding to their already heavy load. Additionally, older caregivers — those caring for an aging spouse or adult child with special needs — face similar stress and the potential caregiver burnout from their daily caregiving duties.
The stressful nature of the pandemic brought the importance of slowing down and self-care to the forefront of our national conversation. And we’ve all heard the old adage that we need to put on our own oxygen mask before helping others with theirs. But when you have so many responsibilities on your plate, how can you possibly find the time to put your own mask on?
What Are the Effects of Caregiving on a Person’s Health?
An all-too-common scenario is that a family member starts caring for an aging loved one, only to end up in the hospital themselves. In fact, research shows that caregiving has a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of the caregiver. According to the CDC, caregiving has been associated with:
- Increased anxiety and depression
- A decline in physical health
- Increased usage of psychoactive medications
- Weakened immune system
- A higher risk of premature death
- And more
Given these risks, it is imperative for family caregivers to get help in order to better care for themselves as well as their loved ones. Adult day care is an excellent solution that allows caregivers to have a daily break while ensuring their loved ones receive the care they need.
Adult day care provides seniors and those with medical or developmental disabilities a safe and enriching place to socialize and receive care. There is also evidence that adult day care improves quality of life for both the client and the family caregiver. One study from The Gerontologist demonstrated that adult day care provided health-related, social, psychological and behavioral benefits for clients. Another study found that people with dementia and their caregivers had improved sleep on the nights before the patients attended an adult day care center.
At Innovative Senior Solutions, we provide adult day care services in convenient, home-like locations. Our clients can expect to engage in a variety of fun activities, like:
- Games
- Exercise
- Engaging discussions
- Fun outings in the local community
- Arts and crafts
- Memory activities
- Music
- Movies and shows
- Gardening and other hobbies
- And more
Our convenient facilities are staffed by experienced caregivers and nurses who are on hand to provide supervision and assistance with medical needs as needed. If you are a family caregiver who is in need of a practical care solution that can provide benefits for both you and you loved one, we’d love to talk to you more about our adult day care services. Give us a call today at 866-409-0582 for more information or to schedule a tour of our centers.