Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Adult Day Care Centers are designed to provide care and companionship for older adults who need assistance or supervision during the day. Programs offer relief to family members and caregivers, allowing them to go to work, handle personal business, or just relax while knowing their relative is well cared for and safe.

Adult day-care programs encourage socialization and may delay or be an alternative to institutionalization. There are two types of adult day care: adult social day care and adult day health care. Adult social day care provides social activities, meals, recreation, and some health-related services. Adult day health care offers intensive health, therapeutic, and social services for individuals with serious medical conditions and those at risk of requiring nursing home care.

Centers are usually open during normal business hours and may stand alone or be located in senior centers, nursing facilities, places of faith, hospitals, or schools. The staff may monitor medication, serve hot meals and snacks, perform physical or occupational therapy, and arrange social activities. They may also help to arrange transportation to and from the center.

Older adults generally participate on a scheduled basis. Services may include:

counseling, education, evening care, exercise, health screening, meals, medical care, physical therapy, recreation, respite care, socializationsupervision, transportation, and/or medication management.

While most seniors face major adjustments when transitioning to an elder-care community, Jewish seniors face additional challenges. Not only do they lose their homes, and many of their friends, but they also lose ties to their cultural heritage. This is where the Jewish Pavilion, a 501c3 non-profit, steps in. The Pavilion serves as a resource that provides room visits, festive holiday celebrations, and more to 450 Jewish residents in 50 facilities for seniors. The Jewish Pavilion promotes inclusion, and thousands of seniors of all faiths are welcomed into its programs. Learn more about the Pavilion at http://www.JewishPavilion.org

The Orlando Senior Help Desk (www.OrlandoSeniorHelpDesk.org or 407-678-9363) helps thousands of callers navigate their way through the daunting senior maze, alleviating caregiver stress while giving advice on all types of elder issues.