A Place of Their Own

When most people hear the words “day care,” they immediately think of a place for small children. Growing increasingly popular, however, is the concept of adult day care — centers designed to provide care and companionship to Seniors who need assistance or supervision during the day. There are close to 3,500 of these centers nationwide, and one Gainesville center specifically caters to people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Al'z Place, located in Northwest Gainesville near Santa Fe College, is one of four Alzheimer's model adult day-care centers in the state, and is run by ElderCare of Alachua County.

“People are continuing to live longer and needing to take care of their family members longer,” said Anthony Clarizio, executive director of ElderCare of Alachua County.

“It doesn't have to be that they’re no longer able to do anything,” said Robyn Katz, recreation therapist and volunteer coordinator at Al’z Place. “We offer therapeutic activities throughout the day, and we try to make them challenging but failure-free.”

Like most other adult day care centers, Al’z Place is open during workdays Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most clients live at home with a family member or caregiver and are dropped off at the center daily.

The day usually begins with a morning snack, followed by a stimulating cognitive activity, such as a group crossword puzzle, a game of bingo or a discussion group in which Seniors can share stories and reminisce.

Clients are served a lunch provided by the nonprofit Meals-on-Wheels program.

The afternoon hours are then spent completing an exercise activity, being treated to a performance by a musician or entertainer, having an afternoon snack, and playing table games or doing an arts-and-crafts project.

“We try to keep them stimulated as much as possible throughout the day so that they sleep better at night and aren't having issues at home," Katz said.

Typically, the daily cost for a privately run adult day care averages about $50-$75 a day, depending on the services offered, which is relatively inexpensive compared to the costs of placing a loved one in a nursing home.

Because adult day care centers are not covered by Medicare, most Al’z Place clients enter the program through grants from the state-funded Alzheimer's Disease Initiative or the county's own Licensed Service Provider grant, and only are asked for a co-pay.

Additional clients have traditionally come from the Medicare Waiver program, but the state has placed a freeze on these funds.

“We have 32 people on the waiting list right now,” Katz said. “There is a major need for this service.”

As the program works now, the caregiver and their loved one meet with a case manager who completes a need-base assessment and places them on a waiting list by priority.

“Someone might get put on the waiting list and start two weeks later,” Katz said. “Others have waited as long as a year.”

Nearly 25 percent of American households care for an aging friend or relative, a number that is expected to grow, according to the National Adult Day Services Association.

Besides providing Seniors a social outlet, adult day cares grant caregivers respite from what can often be a 24-hour responsibility.

“It decreases the caregiver's stress. We hear that on day one,” Katz said, “because they were so busy worrying about caring for their loved one that they neglected themselves. Even if it means going home and taking a nap because they've been up all night or doing their grocery shopping, it means a lot to them.”

Another reason pinpointed for the increasing popularity of adult day care centers is their ability to alleviate the guilt of institutionalizing a loved one or leaving them at home and worrying about their safety.

Al’z Place puts an equal emphasis on its clients and their caregivers. It hosts a support group every third Thursday of the month at 9 p.m. that is open to all caregivers.

As more potential clients are put on the waiting list, Al’z Place is always looking for volunteers, whether students or members of the community.

“Right now, volunteers are such a big deal to our program,” Katz said. “Even if they don't want to work directly with the clients, there are always things they can do, whether it's helping in the kitchen or doing handyman work.”

For volunteer opportunities, or to offer your time as a musician or entertainer, contact Robyn Katz at 352-375-3000.

Laura Wright is a writer and editorial assistant. She may be contacted at laura@towerpublications.com.