Intergenerational Daycare

[SpeechMom]

Just saw an internet broadcast on this topic, and wondered if others had any opinions. Basically its a daycare for children and Alzheimers patients. My initial reaction is who on Earth thinks this is a good idea (ya'll know me - always subtle and tactful)? I agree that under normal circumstances, both the kids and adults benefit from time spent together (we had school kids come and read to our patients at the LTC facility), but these are Alzheimer's patients! As the disease progresses, these patients can become combative and sexually inappropriate. The liability of this just outweighs the benefits IMO. Anyone else?

[AnnW]

I would imagine it's for patients with early alzheimers.
It's actually being done here and quite successfully.

[SpeechMom]

The report said there are 500 such centers across the nation. At what point does early Alzheimers end?

[angie r]

I think it would scare the kids, heck it scares grown up's off too.

[AnnW]

The report said there are 500 such centers across the nation. At what point does early Alzheimers end?

well the place here has rules of behavior just like a day care would have. the children can act out just as easily and hurt one of the adults. there are rules and perameters all have to follow. i just can't point blank dismiss the concept.

[Cathy]

I think it would scare the kids, heck it scares grown up's off too.

It's funny. I think kids are much more accepting of peoples' differences than adults are.
I'm not sure if I think it's a perfect set up, but Donna, some patients never become combative or sexually inappropriate. I never kept my kids away from my mom....and they never seemed really bothered by her confusion. Both groups will sing the same song or play the same game over and over. I could see some value for all concerned.
I think you'd have a difficult time finding staff. Most people seem to have a preference for working with one or the other of the generational extremes.

[SpeechMom]

It's funny. I think kids are much more accepting of peoples' differences than adults are.
I'm not sure if I think it's a perfect set up, but Donna, some patients never become combative or sexually inappropriate. I never kept my kids away from my mom....and they never seemed really bothered by her confusion. Both groups will sing the same song or play the same game over and over. I could see some value for all concerned.
I think you'd have a difficult time finding staff. Most people seem to have a preference for working with one or the other of the generational extremes.

Oh, absolutely - the disease manifests itself differently in each person. But we're not taking about family members here. This isn't Grandma or Grandpa that the kids are interacting with - they're strangers. It just seems like a strange concept to me. Does anyone think it would lead to treating the Alzheimers patients with less dignity or respect? I'm searching for a word here, and its not coming to me. What I'm thinking of is when I did practicum work with mentally retarded adults in grad school. It was a huge issue that they be treated as adults even tough their mental age might be much closer to a child's. Does anyone think that the Alzheimers patients will be treated like children due to the setting? There are so many issue to consider.

[SpeechMom]

well the place here has rules of behavior just like a day care would have. the children can act out just as easily and hurt one of the adults. there are rules and perameters all have to follow. i just can't point blank dismiss the concept.

I don't think the Alzheimers patients have the ability to control all their actions at a certain point, and you might not know they've reached that point until an incident has occured. I don't dismiss the concept of the two group interacting, as I said, but to have one setting for both groups seems like a bad idea.

[SpeechMom]

I think it would scare the kids, heck it scares grown up's off too.

That was one of the criticisms - that this gives kids a skewed view of older adults.

[SpeechMom]

It's actually being done here and quite successfully.

How long have the centers that you know of been in business?

[KarlaB]

I don't think the Alzheimers patients have the ability to control all their actions at a certain point, and you might not know they've reached that point until an incident has occured. I don't dismiss the concept of the two group interacting, as I said, but to have one setting for both groups seems like a bad idea.

I haven't put much thought into it, my initial thoughts tend to agree with yours, but as people mention the pros I find myself flip-flopping. Anyway, I do have somewhat of a point (LOL) - my step gma has Alzheimers and what's scary to me with the scenario mentioned here is that she has good days and downright bad days - you never know what you're gonna get, so at what point would they maybe consider her not 'safe' to be around the kids?? Just wonder how they gauge that and how well the kids would grasp it all - if it would scare them to be around people who were easily confused or not remembereing them, basic things, etc? I am guessing there is some sort of happy medium to it all and that people have put a lot of thought/time/research into it and it would be interesting to hear more about it.

[Diane]

I think the concept of it is a great idea... mixing the young with the old, but if I were the parent of a young child, I'm not too sure if I'd want to risk putting them together with someone with Alzheimers. You really never know what would or could happen. It would totally depend upon how advanced their alzheimers is, but you probably wouldn't find that out until there was an incident, and of course that wouldn't be a good thing for either. I'm sure with a lot of supervision it could work... but as someone else mentioned, I too think it would be very difficult finding someone to do the job. Definitely nothing I'd want to do. LOL