Day Care
Enjoy companionship, enrichment and tailored support with our day care services.
Day care visits provide the ideal opportunity to enjoy a home-cooked meal and individually-tailored care in the company of others, within a safe, stimulating and supportive environment.
What is day care?
Day care is an effective means of supporting an individual’s continued independence in their own home, providing person-centred care and support, as and when needed. It can work brilliantly as part of a wider package of care, perhaps complementing domestic support or personal care visits at home, working alongside – or providing a break for – family carers, or as an introduction to a care home ahead of a respite break or longer-term stay.
How does it work?
Day care involves spending the day in your local care home, either on a regular basis for ongoing support, or on an ad hoc basis when occasional support is required. During day care visits, you can expect to enjoy all of the activities and entertainment provided for residents, tuck into a home-cooked meal and refreshments in the company of new friends, and receive person-centred care which is tailored to your unique requirements and delivered by experienced, professional carers.
Who is day care for?
As day care is provided with an elderly care setting, it is particularly suitable for older adults who currently live in their own home. This can include individuals who are usually supported by family carers, those who need a little extra help whilst recovering from illness or injury, people living with dementia, or those who feel isolated and are seeking to combat loneliness.
Perhaps you fall into one of the following categories, in which case, we can help you:
I live at home but feel isolated during the day
Day care offers a brilliant opportunity to meet new friends and spend time in the company of others, providing welcome company for those who live alone or are supported by family members who work or are out of the house during the day.
I value my independence but would like to feel connected to others
Day care and respite breaks can help you to remain independent in your own home for longer – providing care, support and companionship, as and when you need it.
I need daytime care and support to enable my loved one to work or rest
It can be challenging to manage the demands of work or family commitments alongside caring for a loved one. Day care visits enable family members to step back from caring responsibilities, safe in the knowledge that their loved one is in safe hands.
My family would feel happier to know that I am not on my own every day
For those who don’t live nearby or are unable to visit often, the wellbeing of loved ones can be a worry. Regular day care visits to a care home provide the opportunity for frequent check-ins with an experienced care team, who will get to know the individual and be alert to any changes in their health and wellbeing.
What are the benefits of day care?
People choose day care for many reasons, as it can be easily tailored to suit individual needs, circumstances and preferences. Some of the most frequently mentioned benefits include:
Company
Day care as a means of combatting loneliness and isolation, particularly for those who live alone.
Friendship
The chance to meet like-minded people, make new friends and feel a sense of belonging.
Wellbeing
A safe and stimulating environment which boosts wellbeing and ensures that expert support is at hand.
Activities
The opportunity to participate in activities and entertainment, retain existing hobbies and discover new interests.
Nourishing food
Sitting down to a nourishing home-cooked meal at lunchtime, and enjoy refreshments throughout the day.
Peace of mind
Peace of mind for loved ones and a break for family carers.
Tailored support
Tailored support delivered by qualified, professional carers, to meet individual needs and ensure an individual’s safety and comfort.
Personal care
The provision of person-centred care, which could include medication management and personal care such as bathing.
A trial visit
The chance to get to know a local care home (whilst the home’s carers get to know the individual) as a trial or introduction before booking respite stays or considering longer-term residential care.
What does a typical day care visit include?
Think of day care as being a snapshot of life in a care home – it includes access to all of the activities and entertainment scheduled for the home’s residents, a home-cooked lunch and refreshments throughout the day, the connection and companionship that comes from spending time with like-minded people, and expert person-centred care tailored to your individual needs.
Day care provides a real flavour of daily life in the host care home, and can be an excellent opportunity to try out and get to know the home before considering respite breaks or longer-term residential care options.
To check availability in our homes and ask any questions you may have, please contact us. We look forward to welcoming you soon.
Which care homes offer day care?
All Somerset Care homes offer short-term care options including day care and respite breaks, subject to availability.
Our 22 care homes across Somerset and Devon offer a wide range of residential care, dementia support and nursing care services, providing the reassurance and support you need, when and where you need it.
If you don’t have your own transport, many care homes are on a bus route or are easily accessible by public transport. Some are also in locations served by community volunteer drivers, who may be able to assist with transport to and from the care home.
Find your nearest care home
How much does day care cost, and who pays?
As all day care services are person-centred and tailored to individual requirements, pricing can vary. It is therefore best to check the services offered by your preferred care home, and check their day care costs whilst also enquiring about availability.
If you are eligible for financial support from your Local Authority or the NHS, you may be able to use this to cover or contribute towards the cost of day care.
Some people choose to put any financial support which they may be entitled to, towards regular day care visits and respite breaks rather than longer-term care, to support them to remain in their own homes for longer. If this is something that you are considering, please be sure that your preferred care options adequately meet your needs.
How to book day care
Please contact our helpful and knowledgeable care enquiries team to discuss your care requirements and check day care availability in your local care home. They will be able to provide you with full details of the home and the care services on offer, and arrange for you to visit the care home for a guided tour or a taster day.
During your familiarisation visit, a member of the home’s care team will complete a care assessment with you, to understand your care needs and preferences, and ensure that you can be safely supported, before booking in your day care visits. This is also the ideal opportunity to ask any questions about the home’s activity schedule, lunchtime menu options, or support options which would particularly benefit you or your loved ones.
Somerset Care’s day care and respite services can support you to remain independent in your own home for as long as possible.
What is the difference between day care and respite care?
Day care offers the opportunity to spend daytime hours in the company of others, taking part in meaningful social activities, enjoying a nutritious meal and receiving person-centred support with things like personal care, medication management and living well with dementia.
Respite care extends this concept by staying overnight in the care home on a short break, which can be very helpful if family carers are away, or additional support is needed for a specific period of time, perhaps to enable an individual to continue their recovery after illness or injury, before returning back home.
Some people choose to combine regular day care visits with respite breaks – this enables them to get to know the home, its care team and residents, helping them to feel confident and comfortable in their surroundings when they stay for longer than just the day.
