Wellness Center Filling Spaces at Little Compton's Former Visiting Nurses Building

The Little Compton Wellness Center is settling into its new digs at 115 East Main Road in Little Compton, the former headquarters of the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) of Southeastern Massachusetts. It vacated last year.

Sheri Massa, business manager, and Graeme Bell, president of the Friends of Little Compton Nursing Association, plan to have a host of medical, exercise and nutrition vendors using space in the building to cater to the community, especially the seniors.

"Our whole objective is to improve health opportunities for the greater Little Compton community," Massa said.

Bell said the VNA has operated in the Little Compton building since the mid-1990s and vacated last year to its . It also has an office in Fairhaven, MA. He said his non-profit organization, which owns the building, spent the last several months pondering what they were to form it into.

“What we did was re-think what the building should be all about,” he said. "We really needed to have an adult day center and find an operator."

Cornerstone Adult Services, Inc. immediately took on a part of the center, but Bell said they still have to use up a lot of its approximately 3,600 square feet of space, including a basement. They provide an adult day care center.

So far, the wellness center is holding flu clinics, has Dr. Judith Shaw, a pediatrician from East Providence, a podiatry clinician from Fall River, a massage therapist and an exercise program. They also recycle used medical equipment on-site through the , an online senior services directory for seniors, which has synced up with the wellness center.

"We want to get the building fully utilized with many vendors," Massa said, who added they would like to have a reflexologist and an acupuncturist.

Bell said their operating budget is run exclusively through the Friends group.

"We know what it takes to manage the building for a year," he said. "We now are totally dependant on donations."

They are currently offering potential vendors no user fees to get set up.

"It gives people in a bad economy a chance," Bell added.

Personal trainers and yoga instruction began last month at the center, and will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 p.m. The first four classes are free of charge. The classes are held in the basement, which has plenty of space and exercise mats. Outside in the back of the building is a beautiful garden, walking path and seating.

Cornerstone is at the center Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The building is closed Saturdays and Sundays. The center can be reached at 401-592-0040 or 401-592-0401. They currently do not have a website set up.

Attached is a schedule is future flu clinics and info on their new massage therapy.

(A correction was made to the original version of this post to add the correct phone number for the wellness center. Patch apologizes for the error.)