News

With the fastest-growing population of seniors in the country, Nova Scotia’s need for care and support is on the rise. VON is proud to address this demand with services that help clients remain in their own homes and communities, where they want to be. In addition to visiting nursing and home support, our community programs—like Adult Day—help the whole person to live every day to the fullest.

With full-day and half-day programs across the province, Adult Day is designed for clients who are living with chronic illness, social isolation, various forms of dementia, or other disabilities. ‘Brain work’ or word games and puzzles greet the clients when they arrive in the morning, followed by physical activity that’s modified to meet their own needs.

Staff uses a Montessori approach for the rest of the day’s activities. This means providing everyone with a sense of purpose and a positive focus on independence and what can be done. Clients are able to create their own pieces of art; compete in games of friendly competition; connect to what is happening in the world and their local community; and share stories with each other.

“Every activity we do is designed with therapy in mind,” says April Bailey, a Program Coordinator. “For example, when our clients are playing cards or dominos, it’s more than just a game. They’re using fine motor skills, memory, reasoning and judgment, and recall. We’ve had clients who have claimed their memory has actually improved after spending some time in our program.”

“When I’m at Adult Day, I don’t have a care in the world,” says Tom, an Adult Day client. “I love coming here and spending time with my friends.”

Another element of Adult Day is caregiver respite. The task of being an informal caregiver can be overwhelming. It is vital that families be able to take a break from care responsibilities on a planned and regular basis to preserve their own health and to prevent future stress-related illnesses. With constant supervision and support at Adult Day, caregivers have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are well looked after.

“Adult Day provides a warm and inviting atmosphere for my father and respite time for us, which is important for all. Dad benefits by having another friendly and familiar home away from home with friends and fun.”

To learn more about the program, please contact your local VON office.