Bridgewater's Adult Day Center Holds Drive-By Parade

Press release from the Adult Day Center of Somerset County:

BRIDGEWATER, NJ – May 26, 2020 – The Adult Day Center of Somerset County (ADC) celebrated
National Road Trip Day on Friday, May 22 nd with a drive-by parade to its members’ home.

The Friday before Memorial Day is declared National Road Trip Day and serves as the official kickoff of the summer road trip season. Millions of Americans hit the road each year over the long weekend, visiting friends and family while paying tribute to our American heroes. The ADC adopted this day of recognition and took the opportunity to bring friendship and smiles to their members who are unable to attend programs at the facility due to the stay-at-home directive. The ADC staff met at their facility to decorate their cars and divide into teams of 3. Each team visited 7-8 members. The goal was to bring a smile to each member, let them know we are thinking about them, and give a sense of normalcy.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the ADC’s physical facility is closed to members but is offering virtual programs and expanded resources for older and vulnerable seniors, adults living with a disability or dementia-related illness, and support and education for their caregiving families. Since March 23 rd , the ADC staff have been offering a full virtual activity program consisting of videos, live events, call-in groups and downloadable activities, weekly nurse wellness calls, and weekly caregiver support groups through Zoom. Recently staff have started mailing and dropping off ADC Care Packages to show their families how much they care and want to support them during these difficult times. Many families have expressed their appreciation of their efforts.

Diann Robinson, Executive Director for the ADC says “The stress of caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease or a physical disability is only being amplified during our current stay-at-home order. Caregivers are with their loved ones 24/7. Many caregivers are juggling working from home, their children’s home schooling, and caring for a parent with dementia. Spousal caregivers are feeling isolated, exhausted and often fearful of becoming ill because of their own age and health issues.”

“For the first time in 43 years we are not able to serve our members in person, however the ADC staff are diligently working from home. They have re-imagined and re-invented how we serve families and support caregivers remotely. In addition, we have had the opportunity to provide our resources beyond our membership to the community at large. A grandmother/granddaughter duo from Albany join our virtual Bingo game every Wednesday because their adult day center is also closed and not holding virtual programs.

The public is invited to like Adult Day Center of Somerset County on Facebook to participate in the virtual programming and connect with other families. On it they are presenting:

• Facebook live events such as virtual bingo, word-in-a-word, crosswords, and Pictionary
• A video library featuring staff cooking demonstrations, word games, riddles, and puzzles
• At-home exercise routines.
• Virtual performances by ADC entertainers

The center’s website content has been expanded to curate links to county and state resources, caregiver hotlines, and support services. Activity staff compile and post printable home activities such as word searches, crosswords, adult coloring pages, and discussion guides, regularly. These free resources and activities are available on the Adult Day Center website and can be accessed at www.adultdaycenter.org .

“We plan to reopen as soon as we safely can so that we may offer vital, in-person services again,” said Ms. Robinson. “The ADC staff and program volunteers are heartbroken that we can’t be there in person to support our members and their families, but we will continue to remain connected and offer as much as programming and assistance as possible during these challenging times.”

The ADC’s operating plan for this year has been significantly impacted by the pandemic. Their annual schedule of fundraising events, which raises significant operating funds, is in jeopardy. They have cut back extensively on monthly expenses, but with the lack of private pay fees coming in, they have a large gap to fill. The ADC is proud of its longstanding history of never denying service due to a person’s limited resources and offering a sliding fee scale. They have launched their spring appeal to raise funds to meet the gap. To learn more or to make a donation, please visit their website at www.adultdaycenter.org .

The Adult Day Center, a compassionate community of acceptance, is a non-profit agency committed to providing extraordinary day care services for vulnerable seniors, adults living with a disability or dementia related illness, and support and education for their caregiving families.

To learn more about the ADC, including membership, its new activities and resources, or to become a volunteer or donor, contact Hilary Kruchowy for more information at hilary.kruchowy@adultdaycenter.org or 908-725-0068.

This press release was produced by the Adult Day Center of Somerset County. The views expressed here are the author's own.