For families with elderly members, the stress on the caretaker or the individual can sometimes be overwhelming. That’s why for almost 36 years, Mansfield has offered a place for the elderly and their family members to find relief and peace of mind.
The Mansfield Rotary Adult Daycare Center has provided a safe place for Richland County residents over the age of 60 who may need assistance, supervision and/or socialization. As part of Mansfield Memorial Homes, the day program began in July 1978 with its present building at 50 Blymyer Ave., made possible through donations from Mansfield Memorial Homes and the Mansfield Rotary Club.
Director Karla Hale explained participants of the daycare center spend the hours between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. doing activities including arts and crafts, playing games, or participating in group discussions. She noted each activity has a purpose toward a person’s care.
“It would horrify me for someone to say oh they come there and play – when they say that I almost come unglued,” said Hale with a laugh. “For example, if they’re playing bingo, people don’t realize it’s a cognitive activity. They have to use their brain, they have to recognize numbers, and they work their fine motor skills by picking up a chip and placing it on a number. People think of it as a game, but once you become 70 and 80 years old, that’s not quite as easy as you think it is. We always have an activity that has a purpose behind it.”
The Rotary Adult Daycare Center began as one of the first adult day centers in Ohio, serving a maximum of 25 attendees per day from Monday through Friday. Hale stated the center sees individuals at different levels of functioning either for socialization to prevent isolation in their home, or to provide respite for a caretaker if the individual needs daytime supervision. The center has a specific program for people age 60 and older that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a dementia-related disorder.
“They’re here because of a physical, mental or emotional impairment,” said Hale. “Before all of the assisted livings that sprung up, people didn’t have a place to come that may need community-based services such as our programs – things that are going to keep them independent as long as possible in their home.”
The center not only benefits their elderly guests, but their caretakers as well. Hale stressed the importance of caregivers putting their own health first.
“We always tell our families, your health is just as important as the person you’re taking care of because of the fact they rely on you so much,” she said. “Your mental and physical well-being is absolutely paramount to taking care of the individual. The stress, the caregiver burnout, they really need relief.”
Hale stated simple tasks like going to the grocery store can be precious minutes for a caregiver given a few hours of relief.
“When you have someone who can’t be left alone, knowing that they’re in a safe environment relieves your mind,” she said. “They’re not standing in the grocery line wondering have they messed with the stove, wandered out of their house, eaten something they shouldn’t. The peace of mind and being able to bring them here and go home and say I need two hours of nothing but rest, that’s like offering the Mega Millions to a caregiver.”
Besides the quality care provided, another longstanding tradition of the Adult Daycare Center is its annual Daycare auction. In its 20th year, all proceeds of the auction benefit the Daycare Center and go toward providing units of service to their participants. The auction will be held on Aug. 15 at the FOP Hall, 315 Concord Ave., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. The silent auction will conclude around 6:45 p.m. to make way for the live auction beginning at 7 p.m. where attendees can bid on items such as gift certificates, jewelry, getaways and sports tickets, to name only a few.
With very few turnover in staff and the opportunity to fill a need, Hale said her job has been very rewarding for the past 30 years.
“I know I’ll probably retire from here, and that’s fine with me,” she said. “I always said if I can no longer get out of my bed each day and go there with the desire to change somebody’s life today, make an impact, then it’s time to go. And that hasn’t happened yet.”
