Family Living Focus: Caregiver Burnout – Check Out Adult Day Care Services

Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor
Emeritus, University of Minnesota

If you are a primary caregiver for a loved one, you are well aware of the
daily stress and emotional and physical impact it can have on your health.
In order to sustain your caregiving momentum, a little respite is essential.

Be on the lookout for caregiver burnout.  It can creep up on you without
your noticing it. Caregiver burnout symptoms can include:

*       depression
*       anxiety, irritability, or anger
*       feelings of exhaustion
*       self-criticism
*       withdrawal from usual activities
*       trouble with handling caregiving responsibilities
*       substance abuse

If you have caregiver burnout, check out Adult Day Care Services.  Adult Day
Care Services respite is two-fold.  It gives the caregivers much needed time
to themselves and gives their loved ones social and interactive therapy with
their peers.

Many adult day care services offer such things as:

*       Social activities; music, movies, crafts, excursions
*       Meals
*       Fellowship support
*       Assistance with daily living
*       Nursing care
*       Help with activities of daily living
*       Medications
*       Physical therapy
*       Transportation

Finding an Adult Day Care Services provider takes a little investigating on
your part.  It is important to know what you are getting and that your loved
one is comfortable with his or her new surroundings.

First: Ask for recommendations.  Check with your local Senior Center, Area
Agency on Aging Services, Mental Health Centers, Doctor, Clinic, Family,
Friends and neighbors.  The best recommendation is by someone who has used
the adult day care services or is familiar with those who run it.

Second: Call and ask the facility to send you information.  Ask specifically
to be sent the application, eligibility requirements and payment
information.  Ask to see the calendar of activities, menus, hours and days
of operation are needed to be sure to fit your schedule.  Ask about
availability of transportation to and from the location and what its cost.
Ask who runs the facility.  Is it private, non-profit or a franchise or part
of an assisted living facility or a nursing home?

Third: Visit the Adult Day Care Services facility and the provider along
with the person you are caring for.  See if the staff is friendly.  Check
that the facility is clean and odor free.  Ask about the experience of the
staff.  Request a list of references.

Fourth: Find out the cost and payment requirements.  Fees for Adult Day Care
Services providers vary from one facility to the next.  Many facilities
provide services with a sliding fee scale.

One last word of advice: Don’t feel guilty about taking your loved one to
adult day care.  Caregiving is a stressful, challenging job and you want to
make sure that as a caregiver you have the necessary respite to allow you to
do a good job of providing care for your loved one.

Watch for more Family Living Focus information from Gail Gilman, Family Life
Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor Emeritus – University of Minnesota
in next week’s paper.