CCS planning construction of new adult day facility in Juneau
Family of senior citizens needing assistance and a safe place to spend their day can have peace of mind and time for themselves, thanks to Juneau's adult day program called "The Bridge." According to Gail Perez, program supervisor, "The Bridge" is comitted to helping senior citizens remain at home for as long as possible and keeping their family caregivers healthy.
"We need to reduce caregiver stress by giving the best possible care to their loved ones," said Perez.
Southeast Senior Services (CCS) began The Bridge Adult Day Program in 1985. Since that time, the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. has provided the space for the program located at the Juneau Senior Center next to the Mountain View Apartments. The program serves 14 to 20 participants who have a physical disability (stroke, blindness, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, etc.) up to eight hours a day, five days a week. Personal care, recreational activities, opportunities to make new friends and monitoring of medical issues are available as well as Care-A-Van transportation and senior center meals.
Considering the growing senior population and the need to accommodate the special needs of persons with memory loss and confusion, CCS has been working for several years to locate funding for the development of a new adult day facility to match these needs. Thanks to grants from Alaska's Division of Senior Services ($100,000) and U.S. Housing and Urban Development ($990,000), CCS has begun to plan the construction of the ideal Adult Day facility and program for the people of Juneau.
Shortly after the notification of the potential HUD grant, a communitywide planning group, including an architect, engineer, realtor, nurse and family caregivers, began meeting in March 2002. Three committees were formed: land selection, facility design and planning and finance and administration. The planning group is in the process of acquiring land which is convenient for Juneau families so they might want to take the elder to the Adult Day Program on their way to work, for example.
Perez, who serves on the facility design and planning committee, envisions a facility which is four times the size of the current one and can serve up to 40 participants. She pictures rooms for various activities, for nursing, personal care, counseling, workshop areas and a walkway through a garden.
"We want to build a state-of-the-art facility that has the flavor of Juneau integrated into it," she said. "A place that feels like home, including the smell of freshly baked bread."
Everything from the entryway to the flooring and wall colors must be designed with the knowledge of eliminating stress and confusion for someone with Alzheimer's. Over the past several months, Perez has visited adult day Programs around Alaska and asked what's working or not working in the various facilities. Members of the planning group have attended presentations by Dr. Ariel Cohen, nationally renowned expert in the field of architecture of adult day Programs. They hope to contract with Dr. Cohen in the coming months to help them decide on specific features of the new facility. If all plans proceed smoothly, CCS hopes to have "The Bridge" ribbon-cutting ceremony in April 2005.
Marianne Mills oversees senior citizen nutrition and transportation programs in Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, and Yakutat as a staff member of Southeast Senior Services, a program of Catholic Community Service. CCS assists all persons regardless of their faith.