Day care to relieve caregivers and encourage them to remain at home

L’équipe fait tout pour rendre le lieu agréable et convivial pour celles et ceux qui y seront accueillis. Midi Libre – ALAIN MENDEZ

Ouverte en 2014, la structure autonome installée dans les locaux du centre hospitalier et gérée par quatre professionnelles dispose de 10 places.

The structure is still unknown to the general public. However, for 10 years, the day center installed in the Lodève hospital center has been open, from Monday to Friday, to accommodate people suffering from cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's for a day and to relieve caregivers. . It operates autonomously and has a capacity of ten places.

A double objective

"We are the link between home and the nursing home, the intermediary structure which promotes staying at home" indicates nurse Stéphanie Rouve at the head of a team also made up of three specialized and qualified nursing assistants, Marjorie, Valérie and Sophie. "This is indeed a reception, not a day hospital. And we have our own premises, within the hospital center."    On the practical side, arrival is in the morning, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. and departure between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. for people residing within a 30-minute transport radius.

"It is often families or carers who accompany them" continues Stéphanie. People are then supported through activities and workshops (culinary, gardening, manual, aesthetics, memory, well-being snoezelen…) to stimulate functional and cognitive capacities, try to reduce behavioral disorders and preserve autonomy. "Day care also provides relief for caregivers, so that they can go shopping, keep their appointments or simply relax by taking a little time for themselves" . And the feedback is good.

The Gourmet Break enhances everyday life

"Often families start with one day a week then increase because they realize that it is good for them and their loved ones. Also depending on their financial means" note the nurse and her colleague Marjorie. The cost of a day includes the accommodation part plus a dependency part linked to the degree of autonomy that can benefit from support by the Personalized Autonomy Allowance. Or an amount of around forty euros. "To which is added transport, it can be done by a care assistant and is covered". If the benefits for caregivers are unanimously recognized, those for those helped are too.

Since 2019, the team has set up a café called La Pause gourmande in front of the day reception, open two half-days per week to agents, residents and families of the hospital center . "We sell cakes and other treats made during the therapeutic cooking workshops at low prices two half-days a week". With a dual objective of conviviality and to create a prize pool which makes it possible to fully finance events in the premises, outings to the restaurant or like this Friday, May 3 at the Showbizz cabaret in Magalas.

The day center is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all year round (excluding public holidays). Information and contact for visits to the premises: 04 34 34 40 53. I subscribe to read more