Getting Started
Here's one way to go about finding the program that's right for you.
- Make a Wish List
- Find Programs in Your Area
- Contact the Program Directly
- Visit the Program With Your Family Member
- Give it a Try
Step 1: Make a Wish List
Make a list of what you hope to gain by using adult day services. Be as specific as possible, to save time later. There are two sets of needs: the needs of the person who will be attending the program, and the needs of the family member(s) who care for him or her at home. Both sets of needs count.
Needs of the person attending the program might be something like this:
- Chance to get out of the house
- Medication reminders
- Blood pressure monitoring
- Hot lunch in the company of others (special diet)
- No access to the stove or cars
- Regular mild exercise
- Insulin shots as needed
- Falls Prevention
Needs of the family members who care for him or her might be something like this:
- Safe, supervised environment Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9:30 to 3:00 pm
- Transportation provided door-to-door
- Help determining whether he's Medi-Cal eligible or not
- Help keeping track of all his medicines prescribed by different doctors
- Someone else, outside the family, to notice and document changes in health or behavior
- Assistance figuring out what level of care is needed
- Time alone
Step 2: Find Programs in Your Area
To do this online, go to Providers in Your Community. You can also use the website's Program Finder to serach for a program in your area.
If you would like a free, personalized referral from someone knowledgeable about all of the Alameda County adult day programs, please call us at (510) 577-3543. We will be happy to discuss your situation and work to find the program (or programs) most suited to your needs.
Step 3: Contact the Program Directly
Contact each of the programs you're considering. Most people call for information. While you'll need an appointment for a full tour and to meet specialists on staff, many programs allow visitors to simply drop by. (Programs that specialize in dementia care are an exception.) Form your own opinion about the quality and convenience of the program. It's perfectly okay to ask for references in the form of names and phone numbers of existing clients.
If you visit, you might want to take the Site Visit Checklist with you. Certainly bring your Wish List developed in Step 1 above. If all goes well, you should then make an appointment to bring your family member to visit the program and meet with staff.
Step 4: Visit the Program With Your Family Member
You know best how to make this happen. Still, you may wish to read other articles in this section for ideas, as often this is the critical and most difficult step in the process. Staff often hears that the only difficult thing about an adult day program is getting through the door the first time.
People caring for someone with dementia often find that discussions too much in advance or in too much detail can be more overwhelming than helpful. In this case, rather than making a big deal out of it, on the day of the appointment, you might say, "Let's go for a drive. I want to see this place so-and-so told me about." Or, "Your friend Jamie goes to a program now. Let's go see her, and visit for an hour."
Step 5: Give It a Try
It's worth pointing out to all involved that there's no harm in trying it out. With the exception of PACE programs, no long-term commitment is required. If it doesn't work out, you simply stop going. Period.
Having said that, you need to know that it takes most people a full two to four weeks to become comfortable in a new environment. For this reason, a little resistance in the beginning should not be given too much weight. In time, the new schedule and people encountered will become their schedule and their friends. Before long they will "belong" at home and at the program, and appreciate both more than before.
|
 |
 |
|
|
