Adult Day Care

My mother had Parkinson's and my dad had Alzheimer's. Mom was taking care of Dad pretty well, but as her own disease progressed it got harder and harder. She needed some relief from caregiving, time to herself, and time to rest.

I found an adult day care center that Dad could go to a couple of times a week. This was very hard for him. He didn't like the change and resisted going there, which made things harder for Mom.

So Mom and I started putting notes in his pocket. The notes would tell him why he was at day care, when he'd be picked up to go home, and who would be picking him up. These notes were very reassuring to him, and with them Dad found it a lot easier to go to day care.

Jian

See also: Personal Tips -- Caregiver