ElderHouse Inc. runs an adult day center at 7 Lewis Street in Norwalk, Connecticut, and has been serving older adults for over 48 years as a not-for-profit agency with a 501(c)(3) status, and while the organization's main focus is on active engagement, health monitoring, personal care, and socialization for seniors, it also includes support and relief for family caregivers in its programs, so what happens is seniors can come anywhere from two to five days a week and get up to seven hours of services that range from nursing care, health monitoring, and medication help to personal care like grooming, bathing, hair care, and walking assistance, and they get balanced meals which meet USDA guidelines, including special diets when needed, free of charge, and if someone can't come in, meals can even be delivered to their homes, plus seniors join social and recreational activities like music, arts and crafts, gardening, cooking, exercise, and cultural programming, and these programs, set up by specialists including a geriatric social worker, certified nursing assistants, a nutrition aide, therapeutic activities coordinator, staff nurses, and a dedicated executive team, are all meant to keep seniors healthy, active, and connected.
There's dependable door-to-door transportation, so staff help with daily pick up and drop off, and make sure each person gets safely inside, and when it comes to health care, a staff nurse provides health checks, monitors medications, performs glucose testing, and keeps in touch with each person's doctor, while more help is always available from social workers and recreation staff, and both medical and social model adult day services are offered in the same place, since ElderHouse has full state certification and national recognition for meeting strict quality standards in every review period since 1998, so seniors with memory loss, Alzheimer's, or disabilities are welcomed and always supervised.
The staff-to-client ratio is about one to seven, which means staff know the clients well and keep care consistent-especially since many staff have stayed at ElderHouse for a long time and are all experienced in working with seniors-and the place itself is set up to be safe, comfortable, and pretty easy to get around, with a focus on dignity and respect for each person.
Through the Adult Family Living Program, ElderHouse provides a tax-free monthly stipend and expert advice for family caregivers who are caring for loved ones at home; caregivers can also attend regular support groups, get help with daily tasks, and participate in educational sessions, plus if someone needs a break, respite hours and counseling are available.
ElderHouse aims to help older adults keep living in their own homes for as long as possible, reducing trips to the hospital and keeping everyone healthier and more independent, and all these services are open to individuals who may need help paying, because ElderHouse uses a sliding scale and helps people sign up for financial programs, so no one is turned away for being unable to pay, and prospective participants can even try a complimentary day visit to see if it's a good fit.
The center runs on a holistic medical model and blends nursing care, physical, speech, and occupational therapies, social activities, nutritious meals, and reliable transportation to make life easier and fuller for seniors and the people who love them, with programs designed to bring meaning, socialization, and enrichment every day.
