Day Care

[christine 4]

Please excuse me if this topic has already been discussed, I am a new member.

What problems, if any, have other members had in obtaining day care facilities for the people they are caring for? I am having great problems at the moment for my father who has mild dementia.

 

[Val F]

Hi!
Yes, l've had problems obtaining adequate day care facilities in the past. l am a lone carer for my mum who has had Alzheimer's for seven years, and when it became obvious she needed constant supervision, l applied to Social Services for day care for her. l requested 2 or 3 days a week. Two weeks later l was offered one day a week at a local centre, with the promise of more days to follow as soon as possible. Eight months later l was still receiving just the one days break, and it was only with the intervention of my CPN, and another of his colleagues that l was eventually allocated the extra time off l needed. My mum now has four days a week at the centre, plus one weekend per month respite care at a residential home.
lf you are having problems with day care, it is well worth enlisting the help of other health care professionals to lend their support.

 

[jackie1]

My husband (54) has alzheimers we have been told there there is NO suitable day care anywhere accessable for him. I have a carer/companion come in twice a week for 3 hours each which I have to pay for.
Jackie

 

[Linda Mc]

My husband has started day care today for the first time so will let you know how he gets on

He was referred by the Memory Service and the centre was started by a charity and is now jointly run by the charity and the local Health Board.

There are other centres in my area through Social Services and the Alzheimer's Society. The Society one is on Saturday and we chose not to use it even though we could walk there as that is the day the family are likely to visit. We are looked after by the Memory Service and have no input from Social Services so have not looked at their provision.

Perhaps you could tell us a little more about your cicumstances for instance have you contacted your local branch of the Alzheimer's Society or the Princess Royal Trust for Carers for help and advice. Do you have Admiral Nurses in your area that you can contact?

Let us know how you go on and welcome to the forum.

Linda

 

[sue38]

Hi Christine,

You may find this link to Age Concern's fact sheet on community care services useful

http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/fs41.asp

 

[Skye]

I suspect this differs in different areas of the country, but here in Scotland, day care is usually allocated via a carers' assessment, and is regarded as a respite service for carers.

We were initially allocated one day a week at a dedicated dementia unit, later increased to two.

It's worth sticking out for a dementia centre, more generic ones tend not to provide appropriate activities. (My experience only)

 

[Margarita]

My mother was put on a waiting list for the AZ day center for 2 days that took about 8 weeks for a space to became vacant.

Then after a year, I found out that social services have a day center, even thought social services organized mum AZ day center they never told me that they run they own day center .

So when I found out they had a day center, I had to stress to them how I was not coping with My mother at home with me , so they got mum in sooner . So now mum go to 3 days at social services day center 2 days at the AZ day center .

When mum was in the stages of Mild dementia mum went One day a week to age concern day center

It was only when the disease progressed into the middle / late stages did social service step in with giving mum days at AZ day center .

Has no one told you that the AZ have they own day centers that your father can go to ?

How old is your father ?
Not that age matters , but they are mainly elderly people they .

 

[karenlsinging]

I suspect this differs in different areas of the country, but here in Scotland, day care is usually allocated via a carers' assessment, and is regarded as a respite service for carers.

That's been my experience too here in Edinburgh. Mum was allocated 2 days a week from 10.30 - 3pm at 2 different places, one of which she didn't take to at all and fought with the staff there. The first place (at hospital where she is under psychiatric doctor's care) offered to take her for the second day also and since then she has also had a place on a third day so dad gets respite then. Had that for about 2 years now. Hospital also takes mum in for respite for one week every month since last November. They organised for personal care each morning to help get washed and dressed and this has been a boon to dad - he is far less stressed although still sometimes does it himself if she has got up early and is wandering the house undressed before carer arrives. CPN and Day Care worker have been fantastic.

Karen

 

[dedicated doe]

My husband was diagnosed late last year aged 59,upon discharge from hospital everything seemed to get organized quite quickly,within a few weeks through the help of his CPN he obtained a day centre place for three days per week,although it is run by Aged Concern [ no places for younger people ] he has settled really well and now goes on their transport too which has helped me no end, we live on the Wirral but some situations are not as smooth running as all local authorities are different.
Best Wishes Doreen.

 

[Debby Short]

sorry have only just read your post - last November, my dad was at breaking point - my mum was ony 64 at the time, and dad was her full time carer without any support from SS etc.

He had been in touch with the Alzheimer's society and they had provided a volunterr 1 afternoon a week. I was not enough.

In the end me and my sister took things into our own hands and got in touch with SS, they organised an emergency visit and within a couple of weeks mum had a place at a day centre, increase to 2 days after Christmas and then to 3 days about 4 weeks later.

They also went to an Alzheimer's coffer morning once a week, so mum had something going on almost everyday.

Hope things are getting better, if not contact SS.
Good Luck
Debby
xx

 

[trevo]

I have posted this elsewhere but I am interested in the range of costs for the different daycare options, Day Care centres or Day Sitters. We will have to make these decisions in the near future and I'd rather be prepared and shocked than just shocked

 

[SkiTTish]

Mum goes to a regular daycare centre ,does not cost us anything although they do request she takes speding money .
she gets picked up and dropped off and its from 9:30 ish till 4ish
Trouble is they said they can only accept mum until she becomes more difficult for them to cope with as it is just a general daycare and understandably they just dont have the faciites or the trained staff .

 

[aceblytons]

my husband started day care 18 months ago,and he loves it.
he started with one day,a few months later he was asessed and got three days,as his illness is getting worse he now has five days a week and they do alsorts of games,discussion groups,and they take them out to different places.
if he was at home he would just be falling asleep all the
time,so this is good for him,and me i get the chance of having a rest(which i need badly at times)and free to go shopping without
the worry of having to watch him all the time.
i could not manage without day centre.
aceblytons

 

[LesleyM]

Dear Christine

My mum has recently been diagnosed and I have found her a daycare centre. It is run by the Salvation Army and they are absolutely brilliant. The centre is available each day and mum initially went for two days a week but I have upped it to three as she loves it so much. They have lots going on, bingo, games, guest speakers and singalongs to name but a few things. Most of the other people who go suffer from memory problems so they are all in the same boat.

She is collected in the morning around 10.00am and brought home at 3.30pm. By the time they have dropped everyone off it's about 4.30pm so she gets a nice ride out into the bargain.

This has been a godsend to us and I am eternally grateful to these wonderful people.

Hope you are able to find something suitable too.

Lesley