New adult day program begins in NOTL

The new adult day program for senior citizens kicked off Tuesday at the Niagara-on-the-Lake community centre with three morning and five afternoon participants. With a planned capacity of eight for each session, staff was pleased with the first trial day turnout. 

Offered through the Niagara region, the program is being run out of the space vacated by the Niagara Nursery School when it moved into its new facility at the north end of the community centre beside the library. 

“It’s all freshly painted,” said Tara Schleich, one of the recreationists on staff, “and we have fresh new flooring and cabinetry and a larger, accessible washroom. We’re really excited about our new space.”

As well, the outdoor space, used previously as a playground by the nursery school, is now a patio with tables and chairs for the participants to sit casually and enjoy their snacks. 

The program is designed to help adults 60 years of age and older stay physically active, cognitively stimulated and socially connected. It will eventually run Mondays through Fridays in three-hour morning and afternoon sessions. Schleich said clients sign up for one of the two sessions, whichever works best for their needs. 

For caregivers who have had little time on their own during the pandemic, the valuable respite time and peace of mind is another benefit to the program. 

The morning begins with an independent activity, she explains, which could be a word puzzle, an art project or knitting, for example. Alternatively, the independent time might be spent socializing and catching up with fellow participants and staff members. 

Next would be what Schleich called a brain game. 

“We switch it up regularly,” she said. “There are lots of different brain games we can do to get us thinking and to get our minds working. We try to make it fun, to keep everyone interested, active and engaged.”

Both sessions then move on to an exercise program that is called Healthy, Safe and Strong. 

“It’s mostly done seated,” explained Schleich, “but there is a portion that they can decide to do standing if they wish. It’s about 40 to 45 minutes, with a warm-up. We do simple exercises for range of motion, and for stamina and endurance. There’s some cardio, and some kind of apparatus, such as pool noodles or exercise balls.”

After a cool-down with some light stretching, it’s time for coffee or tea, a snack and some casual conversation. Then comes the Health Bite.

“That’s where we talk about things we can do to maintain our physical and mental health,” Schleich explained. “This week we’re talking about eye and ear health, things you can do to maintain your eyesight and keep your ears healthy. Every week it changes.”

The Health Bite takes about 15 minutes, and then it’s on to the Stay Connected portion of the session. 

“Clients can learn something new here, or share their experiences with the group,” she said. “This week the theme is carnivals. We try to make it interactive, so we might talk about carnivals in the region, such as the Virgil Stampede. The idea is to stay connected to the community and the world as well.”

The participants in Tuesday’s first morning session were certainly smiling and enjoying their time with the five staff members. That’s one of the goals of the program. 

“We encourage everybody to laugh and have fun,” said Schleich. “It’s a really great place for everybody to come to get out of the house, to maybe meet some new friends. COVID has really put a damper on our social life. The change of scenery is great for our clients.”

The consistent daily routine is important in allowing clients to feel comfortable and to know what to expect during their three-hour stay at the community centre. 

As a recreationist, Schleich is responsible for the development and implementation of social recreation programming for diverse groups of seniors. The program is based on the results of a research study called the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

To be eligible to participate in the Adult Day Program, clients must be at least 60 years old and not be residing in a long-term care facility. They must be medically stable, not consistently requiring one-to-one programming or services, and be able to transfer independently or with one person assisting. 

The program coordinator will develop a client service plan with input from the client, his or her care partner and the staff team, taking into account each client’s unique history, interests and abilities. Non-regulated health professionals are on site to assist with administering medications if needed. 

Currently, said Schleich, the NOTL program is only open Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the first trial session is free of charge. As more clients begin to come in, it will move to five days a week. The cost for each visit is $16.20, debited once a month via pre-authorization. There is no charge, of course, if the client misses a day, and it is expected that they attend at least one a week. 

For information on the Adult Day Program, visit niagararegion.ca/seniors or call 905-984-2621.