Walk through a model dual day-care center for a moment. Most
facilities for children wouldn't need to be modified, and adult centers
would need only slight modifications. One room for adults, one for
children, and a shared recreation room, eating room and yard. Simple.
Now, how popular could the idea become? Given half a chance, most
elderly in day-care centers would enthusiastically welcome the idea.
With voluntary participation, concern about temperament compatibility
need not be a problem. But how would working mothers respond to
this? How could they be convinced?
To promote the idea, working mothers could be offered half-price
subsidies as an experiment, providing the initial incentive. The elderly
could be bused to the children's day-care centers just as they are now
being driven to their own. Schedules could be coordinated so that public
school buses are used at times when they are not needed for
schoolchildren. Each child would be paired with a designated
grandparent.
'Adored Attention'
Preventing staff burnout has long been the problem of both adult and
child day-care centers. Dual day care would take some of the pressure
off. The two age-segregated groups can come together-kids will grow
intellectually, gaining the knowledge of age and experience; the adults
will recapture the spark of life from the kids; and both will gain the
special gift of 'adored attention.'
Cost-effectiveness needs to be given a true test, perhaps by the
government at its day-care centers for welfare recipients. This would
free government funds for other people in the community. Of course,
dual day care would be especially effective for families with both day-
care needs.
As a mother, I see that the minute-to-minute problems, vital to kids, don't
keep well and just can't wait until later. As an adult, I am not looking
forward to my own future in adult day care, looking blankly at a piece of
stationary because I have nothing new to write about.