 From the moment Gussie entered the doors of Golden Castle four months ago, we all knew she was one of a kind. She was different from any other participant at our center. For one thing, she was 100 years old. She barely spoke and would remain still in her wheelchair for the majority of the day. To help Gussie adjust to our center, our staff set out to do what we do best -- keep the older adult community active and engaged. Throughout this process, Gussie has shown tremendous growth. Despite verbal communication barriers, Gussie gradually came alive and has been now actively participates in our arts and crafts program, memory group program, and rehabilitative exercises program. Most importantly, she has become an endearing presence for our staff and all of our participants at Golden Castle.
Gussie is our oldest participant at 100 years of age. In honor of November being National Caregivers Month, Golden Castle appreciates wants to celebrate the care and love provided for Gussie by her amazing family. With the help of her family as well as her personal strength, Gussie will turn 101 this month, and Golden Castle is therefore honored to is celebrating Gussie’s 101th birthday with a party. Gussie’s 101th birthday is not only a significant event for the Thomas family, but a momentous occasion for Golden Castle and other ADHC programs in the community to celebrate!. Despite her age, Gussie remains remarkably strong. Golden Castle would like to acknowledges the tremendous care provided for Gussie by her family caregivers. Providing such intensive care for a loved one can be both physically and emotionally taxing; however, Gussie’s family has stuck by her side and allowed her to truly age gracefully and with dignity. Though Gussie is getting older, she is not digressing and not succumbing to the stereotypes afforded to most of the elderly population. In just 4 months at Golden Castle, she has accomplished a great deal. Her progress has been remarkable. She has begun to verbalize her wishes and emotions more clearly. She has created beautiful art projects. She follows along during our exercises program. She engages in musical programs and even dances in her wheelchair. She has made friends with our participants and no longer remains socially isolated during the program. We believe adult day programs allow older adults to embrace their age and avoid the pitfalls that come with aging. Gussie is the perfect example of the great impact adult day programs can have, working together with loving caregivers. Golden Castle Adult Day Health Care Center has been providing the elderly and disabled populations with quality care since 2003. We offer a range of multidisciplinary services including social services, physical and occupational therapy, skilled nursing, and therapeutic activities. Most importantly, we offer an environment that promotes safety and growth. Throughout our 11 years, we have worked hard to raise awareness about the need for ADHC services in the community. We believe the utilization of ADHC services has helped statistically increase the lifespan of the aging population in our community. Gussie exemplifies the positive influence such a program can have on an aging individual’s quality of life. Thank you to all the caregivers and the Golden Castle team!
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 Adult Day Services: A Model of Person- and Family-Centered Care
A recent study found that more than a quarter million participants attend an estimated 4,800 community-based adult day service (ADS) centers in the U.S. Although most participants are older people, more than one-third of ADS participants are younger than 65. Nearly one in three ADS participants has Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. continue... . |
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