Discovering The Mature Lifestyle
Edina home hospice care celebrates life. Page 3
LTC Care
October 16, 2015
October Issue
Burnsville adult day program is lively, intergenerational BY SUE WEBBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Care for older adults who live at home or with their families comes in a variety of forms. One option is an adult day program, such as that provided by Ebenezer Ridges in Burnsville for about 25 clients a day ranging in age from 56 to 92. In addition to offering seniors a chance to stay active and be with other people, the program also offers relief to caregivers who can enjoy a daytime respite, secure in the knowledge that their loved ones are in safe hands. “Some of our clients are living independently, some with family, some at adult foster care, some at assisted living, and some at a care center,” said Barbara Netherton, adult day program coordinator at Ebenezer Ridges for the last 10 years. “Some come for just a few months; some are here for years. Some come once a week, and some come every day. We have one woman who has been in our program for 20 years.” The 33-year-old program is designed for older adults who live at home but need help with personal care, or need supervision during the day while family members are at work or in need of a break. It provides social stimulation while offering a less expensive alternative to home care services. Clients are free to play cards, socialize, exercise, enjoy guest speakers, listen to music, watch movies, participate in discussion groups, work on a computer, or take part in a plethora of other offerings.
Ebenezer Ridges in Burnsville offers an adult day program that allows seniors to stay active, socialize with their peers and give their caregivers respite. (Submitted photo)
A wide range of activities is offered 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, including music classes, Spanish classes, poetry, baking, bingo, trivia, and a walking group, plus field trips to such places
as Baker’s Square, the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Dakota County Fair. “It gives people a chance to try new things,” Netherton said. “Some may never have had a chance to do pottery.”
A big attraction is the program’s intergenerational connection with Ebenezer Ridges Child Care. The childcare center, for children ages 3 months to school age, is on the Ebenezer campus. “The kids are here for 20 to 30 minutes each day, even the babies,” Netherton said. “Clients get to hold them and play with them. We sing songs, read books and do crafts. We go on monthly intergenerational outings, such as to the apple orchard in Jordan.” Different groups of children and seniors also get together monthly for an intergenerational lunch of pizza, hot dogs or hamburgers. One of the pluses of the program for the children is that they become accustomed to seeing people with walkers or wheelchairs, Netherton said. “The kids aren’t afraid,” she said. “To them, our clients are just grandmas and grandpas.” Clients and children throughout the center celebrate Grandparents Day together, according to Netherton. For the last four years, several clients from the adult day program have enjoyed a three-day, two-night camping trip to Camp Friendship in Annandale, accompanied by two staffer and some volunteers, Netherton said. They enjoyed fishing, pontoon rides, crafts, sing-alongs and campfires, complete with s’mores. “Our goal is to continue finding meaningful things in life, and to help people experience things no matter what their age,” Netherton said. EBENEZER - TO PAGE 2