“MV Center for Living offers a lifeline of community and support for persons living with dementia and other age-related disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers.” —Leslie Clapp, executive director, M.V. Center for Living
The Center’s Supportive Day Program has long provided respite for family caregivers, enabling them to work as well as provide for the needs of others in their family. Caregivers can rest easy knowing that their loved ones’ needs are met in a safe and caring environment by a highly trained and experienced staff. This rich program, offered five days a week, includes arts, field trips, music, yoga, drama, discussions, current events, games, special presentations by local artists, plus a snack and family-style lunch.
Alas, not all who might benefit from the Supportive Day Program can make their way up to the beautiful light-filled building that is headquarters for the Center for Living perched atop a hill off Breakdown Lane in Vineyard Haven.
Respite Innovations creates an option for people who are less mobile. It’s like the Supportive Day Program on wheels.
Age-related challenges have taken its toll for many. Physical abilities have dwindled for some, making it hard to move around. Mental acuity has become compromised. For others, the bond between caregiver and recipient is too strong to be easily broken — even for a few hours that would benefit both.
Thanks to a recent grant from the State, the new Respite Innovations program brings person-centered care and engagement into the home, and will afford caregivers the time to take care of themselves.
“Respite Innovations will bring a respite worker into your house to deliver companionship and engaging activities to your care recipient while you, the caretaker, takes a break,” explains program coordinator Ann Baird, well known for her decades-long expertise in programs dealing with the Island’s older adults.
To see the Respite Innovations program in action, Ann Baird took this reporter and photographer Dena Porter to meet some clients.
First was a lively stop at the two-house compound where Kayla Parkhurst lives next door to her caregiver/daughter Marissa Estrella and her brood of children, including a 6-month baby who enjoyed being passed from arm to arm during the visit.
Retired nurse Kathy O’Brien is Kayla’s Respite worker in charge of activities to keep Kayla entertained. Depending on the weather, activities can include boarding the #1 bus for a trip into Vineyard Haven for some window shopping and a visit to her hairdressing friend at the Hair Studio, then a trip home for a game of tic tac toe. Kayla was winning when we left.
Next visit was to the Lamberts Cove home of retired art teacher Cynthia Wayman and her daughter, Holly Wayman, a flutist. Kathy O’Brien supervised the baking of a casserole in honor of a cousin visiting from Florida.
Lively conversation ensued about the art of Islander Elizabeth Whalen and then, of course, to the politics of her brother Paul’s detention in Russia. Holly was one of many Vineyarders who wrote to Paul in hopes of cheering him up during his long years of detention. “Wonder what happened to all those letters,” she mused. I promised to ask Elizabeth Whelan.
Although age has rendered Cynthia Wyman too frail to make her way to the Supportive Day program at the M.V. Center for Living, her still sharp mind made her a delight to talk with.
Short Respite Innovations may open the door to more care. “It’s a very much needed program,” according to Anne Raymond, the outreach worker at the Up Island Council on Aging. “I have referred people.” But she puts a slightly different spin on the program, seeing the two hour home visits as a sort of “try out” time that will hopefully lead the caregiver to become comfortable with longer breaks and with accepting more help.
“The respite program has allowed me to talk to residents in this area and tell them you are doing a great job, but you deserve just let’s bring someone in that’s qualified,”explains Anne. Both of the people that I had met through the program with Anne Baird seemed amazing and qualified to be able to bring some enrichment or some joy to the person who needs the care. “The caregiver feels really safe. That’s what I tell the family — it’s going to be okay. These people are qualified. Your loved one will be safe and they’ll enjoy their time, and you can relax.
“Then it could move on to another step of allowing more time because it’s probably needed. But primary caregivers’ families are so tough and strong and resilient. But, it’s okay to get some help. So what happens is they might get involved in the day program over at the center, or maybe they’ll be comfortable bringing more help into the home.”
