When you have a loved one who can no longer stay alone during the day, it becomes very important that you find a place that is nurturing, respectful, and loving while they have to spend time away from you. Perhaps you will look for an adult day care center for your parent or grandparent. You know you want the facility to be clean, welcoming, and friendly, but here are some factors you might not have considered.
The Arts
Human beings are creative by nature, and your loved one is no different. Visual art, music, dance and other types of art are ways of expressing feelings and thoughts and of understanding the world. As the older adult in your life becomes less able to verbally express feelings, a chance to create art can be very helpful in giving that person an outlet.
Alzheimers.net states that art therapy offers a great deal of help to those suffering from dementia by giving them a way to connect to their memories and challenges. Even if your loved one does not have dementia, this type of therapy can still be very useful.
Health and Fitness
Often when people get older, they begin to get far less physically active. While this is understandable because the body is slowing down, your loved one should still be encouraged and given the opportunity to move. Even a ten-minute walk outside or no-impact aerobics performed on a chair can help; older adults need to keep their bodies as physically healthy as possible.
Many adult day care facilities offer exercise classes, walks outside, or other forms of gentle activity. This can be wonderful for your loved one both physically and mentally.
Outside Interaction
You don't want the person you love to feel shut away from everyday life. Older adults need to interact with the outside world in order to maintain a sense of belonging and keep the dignity of knowing that they can still participate in society.
An adult care program that takes clients on trips to the grocery store or to a museum or park does a lot to help people maintain a connection to the community.
Making the decision to place your loved one in an adult day care program can be difficult, but you can make it easier on both of you by choosing a facility that offers the right activities for your personal situation. For more information, contact a company like Wellspring Meadows Assisted Living.
