How Adult Day services fight coginitive decline and isolation

Social isolation and lack of cognitive stimulation can increase depression and lead to faster decline for a person with Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, social isolation is one of the primary factors contributing to decline even in healthy seniors. Care partners are not the only ones who benefit from adult day services. Those with dementia can, and do, enjoy socialization, learning new things (even if they are quickly forgotten) and we all respond better when our physical needs for good nutrition, hydration and physical activity are met.

In their book, The Best Friends Approach to Dementia Care Virginia Bell MSW and David Troxel, MPH write that “purposeful activities for individuals with dementia meet many needs: to be productive or contribute, to experience success, to play, to be with others, to build skill, to have a sense of control, to feel safe and secure, to fill a religious or spiritual need, to experience growth and learning.”

Current club members and their families report:

• Increased cognitive focus
• Looking forward to club meetings and to seeing their friends
• Less anxiety
• Improved sleep
• Even individuals who have not been highly social are enjoying the club, much to the relief and surprise of their families.

Benefits for Care Partners

Adult Day Services are as much about providing alternatives to the care partner as about providing a service to the care-receiver. Adult day services are an essential source of support for family care partners. They provide a reliable source of support, restore balance in the times of crisis, and enhance overall quality of life for care partners[1]. Adult day services provide respite to family care partners.