Adult day service is a combination of basic healthcare services and opportunities to socialize within a protective, structured setting for those individuals who can no longer stay at home or who feel socially isolated.

 Who participates?

Many adult day service programs are open to an adult age 18 or over who is unable to be completely independent due to physical or mental impairment, who needs assistance with daily living or who feels isolated due to lack of interaction with others.  Each day program has its own unique “personality”.  A participant may be successful at one center and not be able to adjust to another.

Will mom be happy there with people so much worse than she is?

Sometimes a person cannot adjust to being around disabled people they feel are worse off, or older than they are, but often times the staff will encourage this person to take a “volunteer” role, or team up the new participant with others who have similar interests or social skills.  Often times if a family member is comfortable with a program and takes a positive approach with their loved ones the adjustment process is helped along.

Our social workers provide critical assistance to new participants; encourage new friendship bonds, along with building confidence with reassuring guidance throughout the adjustment period.

He says he doesn’t want to go.

It’s important to avoid arguments.  You may find the harder you try to persuade your loved one to go, the more resistance you will encounter.  We find it is very important to allow the participant some degree of control, while at the same time explaining and reminding what the day program is all about.  A person with cognitive difficulties may not remember what he did the day before.  Staff has been able to encourage coming to the center via the telephone, and is always willing to work with a family to design a more effective morning strategy.  Our staff is extremely creative in problem solving and is always willing to work with you and your family.

I’m not sure my husband will accept the program- he spends most of his time close to me, following me everywhere.

A New Day works closely with families to “ease” their loved-ones into the program.  We offer many optional “visits” (at no cost to the families) that allow the family, spouse, or caregiver to accompany the participant throughout the day.  Through a series of progressive, on-site “separations” over a period of time that is comfortable to the prospective client, we are usually successful in addressing this issue.

It’s too stressful fighting with mom to get her dressed.

The first line of action would be to simplify the type of clothing-switch to sweat suits and/or skirts and pants with elastic bands; shoes with Velcro closings- anything that would streamline the process and make the task easier for the caregiver and their loved-ones.

A New Day staff is always willing and available to work with families to design individual strategies that may be more effective.  It’s often helpful to discuss the problem with the social workers in the event that you are unknowingly adding to the stress and making the task more difficult.

My father has Alzheimer’s disease and cannot dress himself.  How can he benefit from your program?

Many of our clients have lost the ability to dress themselves, but have retained the capacity to enjoy laughter, music, and the companionship of others.  It is difficult –to impossible to provide on going, all day stimulation to loved ones diagnosed with dementia.  It is an exhausting task, and often the person with dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease spends many empty hours with the energy and willingness to be active but cannot initiate or sustain meaningful and fulfilling actions.  Often the behaviors that are troubling to caregivers may even occur from the attempts of their loved ones to provide self-stimulation.