Adult Day Center in Maplewood a hotbed of ‘Aha!’ moments
The Salvation Army Adult Day Center in Maplewood is celebrating 30 years of award-winning care for people living with dementia and other disabilities.
Since opening in 1990, the place has been a hotbed of happy “Aha!” moments.
“These are the moments when our participants remember who they are, and they realize that they still have a purpose,” said NancyLee Dahlin, Adult Day Center director (pictured, wearing red shirt).
One of those moments occurred recently when a male participant expressed joy when he scored a basket during a basketball activity.
“His eyes lit up,” said staff member Brooke Pryor, who helps lead daily activities. “After he scored the basket, you could see him thinking, ‘I’m still here.’ We help these people to feel like themselves again.”
Fun activities are a cornerstone for engaging participants. Each day includes coffee and fellowship, current events, exercise, singing, a Bible lesson, and a host of creative games and events such as:
- A Cinco de Mayo and Star Wars Day activity in which participants swing a light saber at a piñata (pictured right).
- A Hollywood-themed “Red Carpet” party held the week of the Oscars. Each participant receives an award that recognizes his or her unique talents or personality traits. (See photos of 2020 party.)
- Life-size board games such as Monopoly are played on the floor of the activity room.
“We engage our participants every moment of the day,” said Dahlin, noting that mental stimulation has been proven to slow the progression of dementia.
Dahlin and her staff love serving the participants because they are incredible people with incredible stories to tell. That includes a participant named Thor (pictured with Dahlin), a 98-year-old Swedish immigrant and World War II veteran. He still remembers attending a Salvation Army location in St. Paul during the 1920s.
“The Salvation Army in St. Paul was a gathering place for all the Swedes,” Thor said. “You could find other Swedes there, make friends, learn English, and sing songs.”
Lifeline for caregivers
The Adult Day Center beholds other “Aha!” moments that are more sobering.
These are the moments when caregivers come to the center for the very first time, after suddenly realizing that their loved one needs more help than they can give.
“Most first-time caregivers come to us looking like a deer in headlights – they have no idea what they want or need, and they are filled with so many emotions,” Dahlin said. “These are the moments when we are at our best. The Adult Day Canter is here to walk alongside our caregivers and guide them through their loved one’s journey.”
A caregiver named Judy can relate to Dahlin’s comments. When Judy first came to the center, she was exhausted after spending all of her time and energy caring for her husband, Mike, who required constant supervision.
“I was not in a good place when I first came here,” admitted Judy, a retired teacher who enjoys volunteering to help children. “I’d been forced to give up volunteering in order to care for Mike. It was becoming hard on my soul.”
After enrolling Mike in the program, Judy got her life back and Mike found a place he loves.
“Now I can go and do things with children and my love of volunteering,” Judy said. “And Mike is happy here. He is safe and he stays busy. This place is such a big part of our lives.”
The majority of the center’s caregivers are kids caring for their parents, or spouses caring for their husband or wife. Most participants have some form of dementia, while others – like Thor – simply live with physical limitations.
Thor’s wife, Audry, started bringing him to the center about two years ago. Although Thor is still mentally sharp, he is confined to a wheelchair and often needs assistance.
“The Adult Day Center is so helpful for us,” Audry said. “Thor loves this place, and it gives me time to get other things done.”
Christ-centered
The Adult Day Center is different from other programs because of its Christ-centered focus.
“When you look at this place as a ministry, it’s a totally different perspective,” said Dahlin, who worked at the Adult Day Center for several years when it first opened in 1990, then returned as director in 2016.
Most of the center’s staff members view their work as an expression of their love for Jesus Christ – a fact that is obvious to almost every caregiver.
“These workers care for my husband like nothing I’ve seen before,” affirmed a caregiver named Melody, whose husband, Tom, has been coming to the center for two years. “They treat Tom with the dignity I want him to have. They put their heart and soul, and the love of Christ, into their work.”
The center’s volunteers are just as passionate. That includes Chris Brekke (pictured right), a retired pastor who has been volunteering at the center since 2015.
“I love the people here and the staff members – you can tell it isn’t just a job for them,” Brekke said.
Enroll your loved one
The Adult Day Center is happily accepting applications for more participants.
The center is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Caregivers can drop off their loved one for up to six hours, at least two days a week. The center is less expensive than many other programs, and various forms of insurance are accepted.
The center is widely recognized as a top provider for people living with Frontal Lobe dementia – a form of dementia that is different from Alzheimer’s and requires specialized care.
The center plays a small but important role in overcoming a growing crisis: In Minnesota alone, an estimated 94,000 people live with Alzheimer’s disease, with about 250,000 caregivers providing for them.
Contact the Adult Day Center at 651-779-9858 or stop by for a visit at 2080 Woodlyn Ave., Maplewood.
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