About ADS
Adult day services are community-based programs which meet the health, social, recreational and therapeutic needs of elderly and disabled adults. Adult day services also provide much needed respite and peace of mind for family caregivers. Though centers may differ in services and operating hours, they all have a common goal - enabling an adult to maintain independence in the least restrictive environment while ensuring purposeful living and engagement. By supporting families and caregivers, adult day services enable participants to maximize independent living in the community.
Determining Your Needs
Determining the medical and social needs of your loved one can be a difficult and confusing process. The questions below can help guide your decision-making when determining if adult day services would best serve your loved one.
- Is the person idle? Does she or he sleep a lot throughout the day, perhaps in front of the TV?
- Does the person have a low interest in other family members?
- Does the person seem sad, lonely, or confused? Do you feel that she or he would benefit by more social activity during the day?
- Do you lack time and energy to take care of your own needs? Do you need more time for yourself, or to be with other family members and friends?
- Are you also parenting children?
- Are you also working part time, or full time?
- If the person is not living with you, are you often worried about this person?
- Have you thought about a nursing home, but feel guilty when you have these thoughts?
- Are you spending a lot of time providing routine care for the person, such as cooking, dressing and toileting, and find that you have less time for talking or doing activities with the person?
If your response to one or several of these questions is YES, you may find that both you and the person you are caring for would benefit from Adult Day Services.