by Pamela Okoro

Created on: March 20, 2009   Last Updated: March 21, 2009

Bringing together day care and elder care services is like allowing the cycle of life find its true expression. An elder care home can operate a day care facility for younger working parents to bring their kids during the week. An elderly person, having once been a child, is generally well placed to understand children and has enough time on his/her hands to learn how to care for and entertain them.

Restoring Self Worth

As one grows older, retirement looms and the normal illnesses of the aged- arthritis, weak eyesight, start to make their presence known in the lives of the elderly. No matter how much one tries to hide his or her age, time will tell, and one day, that job will not be available anymore. Encouraging the elderly to be involved in day care work (even as a volunteer) helps restore their confidence, usefulness, and feeling of self-worth.

Training for the Children

Most day care facilities require the children to be entertained taught and generally watched over while they sleep. While an elderly person cannot be left full in charge of a tot (they seem capable of falling asleep at odd moments) his or her presence and help cannot be underestimated. The elderly usually have a plethora of stories to tell, and would enjoy the opportunity of an audience, and who wouldn't love cuddling and playing with children? The elderly will have the time to attend to little bumps and complains and accommodate selfish behaviour that a younger adult might consider childish.'

Entertainment and exercise:

The children also entertain the elderly; they remind them of songs they used to know, teach them new songs, tongue twisters and poems, tell stories about their real and imaginary friends, enemies, toys and bugs. Children, being active, cause the elderly to exert themselves and move around- this is always good for their hearts.

Social Interactions

The assistance rendered by children goes into another area. All parents would like to know who cares for their children, and this will bring the elderly into contact with younger parents and families. New relationships are built and emotional ties are forged. The caregivers can get invites for family programmes and special days once in a while and this would add colour to their days.

Job Satisfaction

When day care time is over and the kids have been taken home, the elderly care givers now have the place to themselves, and the atmosphere will be that of a grandmother or grandfather about to rest after a visit from his many grand children. Of course, they will sleep better and deeper than if they had spent the day all alone.

Now, since the elderly are in a home because they cannot fully take care of them, a lot of measures have to be put in place for this care system to work CHECKS: 1) It must be voluntary- the elderly should not be forced to pay for their care by taking care of the children. Only those who wish to do so should be assigned to the children. 2) There must be adequate professional supervision by younger adults. 3)There must be a clear timetable of activities and schedule for elderly people in charge of them, this will help regulate the jobs of the elderly care givers and prevent over exertion given their peculiar health needs,

With these checks in place and careful revision of the conditions of the joint services; the joint elder care and day care service will certainly flourish as it benefits not just the elderly and children, but the community at large.

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