Adult daycare is a form of respite care that's provided outside the home by professionals (as opposed to in-home respite care). It's designed to benefit both the person using the services and, especially in the case of Alzheimer's disease, that person's caregiver.

For the elder with Alzheimer's, adult daycare offers:

• A chance to get out of the house
• A break from being with the caregiver
• Interactions with other people
• Stimulating activities
• Other therapies as needed (such as physical therapy or speech therapy)
• Possibly a delay in cognitive decline, in the early stages
• Prolonged independent living

For the Alzheimer's caregiver, adult daycare provides:

• Stress relief, lessened depression
• Predictable hours of relief in order to attend to personal needs, run errands, and release stress
• The ability to continue caring for a patient at home
• Cost savings over more expensive in-home care
• Reduced guilt because the patient's independence is supported
• An improved mood in the patient, making care giving easier
• Possible family counseling or training through the center, to help cope

Programs run from several hours to a full day. Participants may attend daily, a few times a week, weekly, or just for special activities. Weekend and evening care are less common, although this is changing as demand for adult daycare rises. (All options vary by center.)