TAMPA, Fla. — For the first time in more than two years, Hillsborough County welcomed back dozens of clients to its Adult Day Services Centers, Monday.
The program was suspended during the pandemic, and it’s been stressful — not just for the elderly clients who depend on those services — but also for caregivers.
Many have spent the past two years tending to a loved one around the clock with little or no help.
“Yeah, it’s definitely challenging,” said Melvin Monroe who has been caring for his 81-year-old sister Eloise.
“Get up in the morning. I’ve got to go down the hall you know. I get up in the middle of the night, I have to go down the hall, make sure everything is OK, you know,” Monroe said.
When the pandemic started, Hillsborough County had to shut down its Adult Day Services Program. That forced many people like Monroe to suddenly become the sole caretaker for a loved one, a friend, or a client.
Most clients have mental or physical limitations that require near-constant attention.
“They know what they’re doing,” caregiver Stacy Miller, who watches out for her older sister Patricia, said. Patricia has had dementia for more than 40 years.
“They know what they’re doing, and they love what they’re doing, most importantly,” Miller said.
The program provides specialized care and activities all day – or even just for a few hours at a time.
That gives caretakers like Miller time to finally care for themselves again too.
"It allows me those times when I want to just relax and take a mental break," Miller said. "And it’s a great help that I can bring her here and I can, on the days that I’m off, and I can have that mental break."
Sheryl Knox has relied on her children for the past two years after suffering a stroke. Without the program, she has felt isolated. Now she’s seeing old friends and enjoying activities like exercise, meditation and painting.
“Very Happy,” Knox said. “It’s really good like I said, because it gets people out of the house and not stuck at home.”
That isolation has taken an even greater toll on people in declining health.
“Needless to say – how it impacted us – but for that population even more of a drastic decline,” Sr. Supervisor Remona Singleton said.
Hillsborough County operates four adult day service locations.
The first two to reopen are the Phyllis Busansky Senior Center at 4102 W. Spruce Street in Tampa and the Plant City Adult Day Services location at 1205 S. Waller Street in Plant City.
The Northlake Community Center and Bloomingdale West Recreation Center programs are expected to restart within the next few weeks.
Hillsborough says there is space available, so if you know someone who might benefit from the services, they can reach out to Hillsborough County at (813) 272-5250 or online here.
The Adult Day Services Centers work with clients 60 years of age and older.
They’re open from 8 a.m, until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.