Are you looking after an elderly parent or spouse? Are you a caregiver? Do you need a break just to get on with those daily or weekly chores? Do you just need to have a day to see to your own needs? Maybe you are working, and need help to enable you to work, at home or in the workplace.
There is truth in the adage: “you can’t pour from an empty cup”.
Adult Day Care could be just the solution.
Have a read of Elizabeth’s poignant story below
Adult Day Cares are designed for older folk who need help with the activities of daily living, and who might also feel isolated or lonely. What a pleasure to have somewhere where older people can socialise with others while they receive assistance and supervision. Adult Day Care is especially beneficial for those who are not able to structure their daily activities and cannot be left alone at home for safety reasons. Adult Day Cares can give the caregivers a break from that around-the-clock care and also provide peace of mind that their loved one is in really good hands.
In the southern suburbs of Cape Town, we are extremely fortunate to have an Adult Day Care Centre on our doorstep. Plumrus is a home for the elderly that is situated in the beautiful Constantia Valley of Cape Town. 216 residents live in either independent living accommodation or in their Health Care. Plumrus is a faith-based organisation and offers an oasis where people can fellowship with their peers in a tranquil setting.
Plumrus offers specialised Day Care services throughout the week, over weekends and on public holidays. Day Care services include wholesome meals, designed for the nutritional wellbeing of their guest by expert dieticians, basic care, stimulation activities and companionship. Basic care ranges from medication administration to oral hygiene and proper grooming etiquette. Plumrus also offers stimulation activities which are designed to nurture body, mind and soul, as well as being entertaining. Best of all, Plumrus guests get to participate in these activities with their peers, providing some much desired companionship.
Elizabeth’s story
Lockdown as we know it started in March 2020, while many have moved on and resumed life as they knew it, in our household lockdown lasted just over 3 years, when in May 2020 at the age of 61 my husband Andrew was diagnosed with Alzheimers. This diagnosis came as a huge shock to our 3 sons, extended family, friends, and me. The process or adjustment to a new life included medical boarding of Andrew, and the closure of our business. Basic errands and household chores carried on for a while “as normal” as Andrew’s condition was still in the early stages, and we could responsibly work around his increasing limited functionality.
Further diagnosis over the next 3 years included Frontal Lobal, Vascular Dementia, Parkinsons, Lewy Body Dementia. Andrew’s regression has been at an alarmingly fast pace which has not been easy for the family and me, as the main caregiver, to adjust to. It is only when life presents us with new challenges that daily activities such as using public toilets and fitting rooms brings along a new set of rules that needs adjusting to.
I needed emergency surgery in August 2022, which exposed me to the reality of “what happens to Andrew, if something happens to me”. This got me searching for a “backup” of someone/somewhere, who not only understood Andrew’s condition but would be able to provide him with the necessary care he needed. PlumRus Care Services was introduced to me through a friend and after a viewing appointment and a home assessment by the team, I was eventually only ready in the May of 2023 for Andrew to use the Day Care facility. I remember that Friday as a start of a different life for not only Andrew, but our entire family, as we started to reclaim our individual lives navigating the sometimes-negative comments of people who clearly had no idea of the impact of Andrew’s disease. I am eternally grateful for the handful of family and friends who have continued to journey with my family through this time.
As it so happened Andrew’s Day Care visits increased from once to twice a week and over a relatively short period of time he was using the Day Care Mondays to Fridays. This gave me a chance to catch up on home necessities, family admin, much needed sleep and slowly resuming a social life outside of Andrew’s care. Fast forward a few months and with Andrew’s condition in continuous regression; he has now become a permanent Resident at PlumRus. I enjoy my daily quality visits with him and have become involved in facilitating some craft workshops for the Residents. My overall experience with the team at PlumRus has been a good one. Not only do they care for Andrew, but they also understand the disease and continue to provide my sons and I with the support we need on this road called LIFE.
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CONTACT DETAILS:
Website: plumrus.co.za
Facebook Page: facebook.com/PlumRus
Contact Number: (021) 761 2323
E-mail Address: info@plumrus.co.za