An aging population has Canadians searching for more and more senior care options, finding the best services for their loved one’s needs and lifestyle. Whereas senior homes typically provide around-the-clock care, adult day care centres offer daytime services, building an all-important sense of community among seniors. Like residences, these day centres cater to specified social and medical needs, ensuring the well-being of each client.
For healthcare professionals, these day centres are home to some of the most rewarding careers. Daycare workers help seniors thrive—and offer a helping hand to caregivers, who might have no other alternative to full-time support.
Are you curious about working in adult day care centres? Read on to find out more!
Daycare Centres Combine Healthcare and Social Wellness
Daycare centres are generally defined by either a medical or a social purpose. While both centres promote wellbeing and social stimulation, medical ones are staffed with healthcare professionals catering to specific health needs. These medical centres—or adult day health centres—typically offer services like physical or speech therapy, and combine the social benefits of a senior community with individually-defined healthcare priorities. Day centres are thus a good fit for many seniors with chronic illnesses or post-operation recovery periods.
The social benefits of adult day care centres can hardly be overstated. A 2010 Statistics Canada report estimated that up to 16 percent of Canadian seniors experience social isolation. For seniors who prefer daytime care to full-time residential options, these day centres are a way to maintain social skills and build a community of friends and acquaintances. While social activities vary by centre, crafts, bowling, excursions, and pet visits are common.
Pet visits help raise spirits in daycare centres
Adult Daycare Centres Can Provide a ‘Respite’ to Primary Caregivers
Beyond seniors, adult daycare centres are also beneficial to primary caregivers. One-on-one senior care can be challenging for loved ones, requiring them to bear constant and sole responsibility for their loved one’s wellbeing. Being able to bring a loved one to a day centre for a period of time can, therefore, allow loved ones to recover from their caregiving duties, helping them feel energized and healthy. This respite may, in fact, minimize the risk of caregiver divorce, illness, and even elder abuse.
For many of these caregivers, day centres offer the ideal form of ‘respite’ care, taking temporary responsibility for the senior’s health and wellness. For students hoping to become a health care aide, day centres are thus a chance for rewarding work with direct benefits both for seniors and their loved ones.
Top Colleges Help You Become a Health Care Aide in Adult Daycare Centres
For those pursuing a career in healthcare, few professional environments are as rewarding as adult daycare centres. A leading college prepares health care aid workers for this crucial role. For instance, AOLCC’s healthcare programs in Alberta instill both the requisite medical knowledge and social aptitudes to thrive in adult daycare centres. From anatomy to behaviour management, students build the essential toolkit needed for assisting in a day-to-day capacity with seniors.
With an aging population requiring ever-greater care, senior care offers rewarding career options for healthcare professionals. A top program will combine the in-class knowledge and practicum experience to help students have an immediate impact in the field, fostering wellness and community among a growing senior population.
Are you ready to launch a rewarding career helping seniors and their loved ones?
