Term Paper on "Adult Day Care"

Term Paper 15 pages (4834 words) Sources: 8 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Adult Daycare

Proposal "Golden Years Adult Daycare"

The proposed program will demonstrate a significant goal of reducing the number of adults, needing daily medical and social supervision who must receive such care from non-formal caregivers. The problems of aging and some disease processes that occur in aging are a significant social need that needs to be effectively answered by structured programs that reduce the care giving burden on family and allow them the ability to have normal lives, that include working and perusing social and other essential activities without the concern of their aging loved one to ensure their ability to continue to be primary caregivers.

As the population of the United States ages demographic changes are evident and potentially troublesome, if changes are not implemented. The changing population has changing needs that are dependant on the funding of programs that offer such programs at prices comparable to other social services.

Life expectancy in the U.S. has increased from 48 years in 1900 to 83 years in 2000..."

Couper & Lapham, 2002, p. M16) Though we must identify this as a social problem only in that it significantly increases the number of people requiring care in formal settings for age related problems that require supervision. In a sense we can think of increased life expectancy as a positive outcome of strong social policy of the past. "Reduced death rates for children and young adults (largely because of better public health systems like clean water: better nutrition, and better medicines like antibiotics) are the main factors behind increasing life expectancy over the last century."

Couper & Lapham, 2002, p. M16) Recognizing this change as a positive social outcome, does not however resolve the fact that this demographic is in need of social services at a higher rate than a smaller aging population did in the past. Additionally, many diseases are specific to the elderly, just as a result of the fact that the older one grows the higher the chances for living with debilitating diseases become. Though the main function of adult daycare is to provide services for elderly people experiencing diseases that cause dementia, of which there are several, this does not exclude those who need medical supervision for other reasons or as a result of longstanding disabilities that leave them minimally functioning as adults. Though today only 4 out of 100 adults who are aged 65 years old or older live in nursing homes,

Couper & Lapham, 2002, p. M16) there are many who could avoid such care if there were capable individuals and institutions to meet their needs during daytime hours so traditional family care can be offered for a longer period of total years. An adult daycare, such as the one proposed here could significantly increase the ability of family to care for aging adults for longer periods as such care offers respite to pursue activities that enrich their own lives, and make it possible to continue to be able participating adults in the community.

Although Mr. G. resisted at first, he was finally convinced to try adult daycare. This is a means of increasing his socialization, mobility, and providing medical supervision. Mrs. G. worries about the cost of daycare, but recognizes its importance in relieving her of constant caregiving responsibilities. Counseling by the nurse convinced Mrs. G. that preserving her health through rest and recreation is essential to preserving her caregiving abilities. She uses her "new private time" to that end. (Kim & Keshian, 1994, p. 66)

For some caregivers the respite of eight to ten hours per day for care giving responsibilities can make the difference between whether they can remain as primary caregivers for financial as well as health reasons. The reality is that as people age, and require more care, caregivers also age and may require more support and if this support cannot be gleaned elsewhere, such as within the family it must be attained outside the home and for many the last resort is institutionalization, and already taxed resource. (Kim & Keshian, 1994, p. 63) According to an expose on aging done by MSNBC

The proportion of older people in the United States is also growing. Today, a baby boomer turns 50 every 7.6 seconds, and by mid-century old people will outnumber young people for the first time in history. As a result, our families and social institutions are in the throes of a social revolution. The number of people over 65 has grown tenfold since the turn of the last century. But we're only at the beginning of the curve - the baby boomers are moving across the demographic chart in a huge wave. (Winokur, 2003, MSNBC Online)

When Winokur discusses the issues associated with aging the full range of them is both positive and negative, older Americans are contributing to the economy for longer periods of time and they are technically more successful than their aging counterparts in the past. The view of the aged individual, by society is slowly changing to better reflect the diversity and contribution of these people in the past and now.

But the aging of our society also has created new demands and problems. Currently a quarter of all households are caring for an older relative....long-term care facilities can expect a 100% turnover in nursing staffs every year and veterans with Alzheimer's disease have been kicked out of Veterans Administration facilities because there aren't enough beds. (Winokur, 2003, MSNBC Online)

Many people and groups have identified the need for adult daycare o0fferings as a demonstrative social and societal need, as the extension of the retirement age makes it difficult for some people to work and care for an aging spouse or even parent. (Torres-Gil, 1992, p. 3) the result is that many elderly people, except where highly motivated live out their days in almost complete social isolation and unless their condition is so extensive, as to require medical supervision, this may not change for many, many years. There is simply no excuse for continuing to isolate and ignore this population, as they can and should be out in the world enriching it with their diverse and powerful life experiences and personalities. Though dementia is only one of several reasons for the admission of individuals into a care center or need for supportive care, it is estimated that nearly four million people in the U.S. have some form of dementia and the need for care continues to rise, as does the need for alternative services for families caring for such individuals.

Arno and colleagues (1999) estimated that the national economic value of informal caring for people with dementia is $196 billion. Because care needs increase substantially as dementia progresses, professional health and human services are needed to supplement the care provided by family members and to support their efforts. Although studies have found a great need for services among people with AD and their primary informal caregivers, low levels of service utilization have been reported (for example, Adler, Kuskowski, & Mortimer, 1995; Cotrell, 1996; Kosloski & Montgomery, 1992). Therefore, interventions that encourage and support greater use of formal services appear warranted. (Mccallion, Toseland, Gerber & Banks, 2004, p. 441)

The aging population must be better served, and by proxy their families must be supported through this extensive demographic change in society. The consequences of this demographic change will be significant if services are not developed to aide families caring for older adults and if older adults are offered to few services, accidental deaths will continue to rise among the population and worse.

The veterans Administration, is one example of a powerful agency that is seeking to find alternatives to costly institutionalization for those who require only minimal care, but who cannot live alone without significant monitoring and assistance. (Cox, 1993, p. 73) the Department of Health and Human Services, has done significant research to determine the growing costs associated with caring for the frail elderly.

Estimates of the annual cost of health care for frail older persons range from $54 billion to $80 billion, and by 2030 this cost could be $132 billion (Department of Health and Human Services, 1991). Moreover, this sum is an underestimate of costs in that it does not include all of the other services and assistance, formal and informal, that these frail individuals require. (Cox, 1993, p. 2)

The traditional cost of care, as the DHS points out is not inclusive of the volunteer care provided the individual, such as in the home and usually does not include Adult Daycare in figures, either. Yet, as a prevention method, an adult daycare could be of significant assistance. Adult daycare has the ability to monitor healthcare daily, and to help families avoid costly hospitalization, as a result of accidents and the injuries they cause, by simply being present for daytime hours, when families may feel the need to inadvertently neglect their aged loved one as a necessity to keeping a roof over their head.

The stress of caring for a frail relative is… READ MORE

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