Day Care provides care for a person during the day. It is provided away from the person's home and transport is usually arranged as part of the service.
The purpose of day care - as part of Community Care - is to help people remain living at home as an alternative to living in some form of residential or nursing home.
Day care offers benefits both to the people who receive it and to any carers who look after them. For people going to day care, it:
- gives them the opportunity to mix and meet with others especially if they are isolated at home;
- offers stimulation through social contact and activities;
- gives them a meal and (at some day centres) a bath; and
- allows them to re-learn skills they may have lost through illness or disability or to learn new skills they need to cope with changing circumstances.
It offers carers a few hours break from caring for someone. This is sometimes called respite.
A typical day's care might be:
- 9.30am Collected from home by taxi or minibus
- 10.30am Arrival at Day Centre, tea or coffee
- 11.00am Activities such as discussion, games, crafts, exercise, employment
- 12.00pm Lunch
- 1.00pm More activities
- 2.00pm Tea or coffee, prepare to leave
- 3.00pm Arrive home
Everyone going to day care will have a care plan produced by a social worker. This plan will describe what they will do at day care and what they should get out of it. The facilities and type of care provided in day centres vary. Through the care plan, the social worker will aim to ensure that the person goes to a day centre which can provide care to meet that their needs.
There are other kinds of day services and day care:
Luncheon clubs are social clubs rather than care centres. These are not run by Cumbria County Council. They are often run by voluntary organisations. Your social worker or Customer Services at your local Cumbria County Council Adult Social Care office can tell you more about these.
Employment schemes are run for people with learning disabilities and people with mental health problems These offer employment opportunities to people who may otherwise have difficulties finding work.
Day care for children includes family centres, childminders and playgroups.