News

Clients and staff of RiverView’s Adult Day Services (ADS) will celebrate National Adult Day Services Week, Sept. 15^th-21^st, in the new ADS digs at Oak Court this year. The public is invited to a celebration of the program at Oak Court, 110 Sargent Street, Wednesday, Sept. 18^th from 12:30-2 PM. Treats from the ADS garden will be served. You can also tune in to KROX radio at 10:40 am, Sept. 16^th for Valley Talk to hear ADS Director Linda Nephew share information on services and availability.

The theme for National Adult Day Services Week 2019 is Voice, Vision and Value. This special week has been celebrated annually since it was proclaimed on Sept. 27th, 1983, by former President Ronald Reagan. The third complete week of September is set aside to raise awareness of the availability and accessibility of adult day programs nationwide.

Supporting Clients, Families since 1977

While recent studies stress the importance of adult day services now and into the future, RiverView Health was ahead of the curve and understood the importance many years ago when RiverView’s ADS was implemented in 1977. The basic purpose of the licensed program of supervision then and now is to support elderly or disabled individuals living in their own homes and participating in their family and community lives to the fullest extent possible.

The ADS services are designed to enhance emotional, spiritual, physical and mental health by offering activities, socialization, nutrition, exercises, medical monitoring, transportation and fun.

“Our services help participants maintain some social contact to prevent depression or regression,’’ said Nephew, RN. “The services also help to maintain or improve participants’ physical conditions, and that leads to more independence for the individual.’’

While there is no doubt the ADS program benefits those who attend, research also proves the benefits of the program help the families and caregivers of those ADS participants. According to recent research, family care providers showed lower stress levels on days when their family members attended adult day services. The study is one of the first to demonstrate that interventions to lower stress on caregivers, such as the use of ADS, have an effect on the body’s biological responses to stress. These findings suggest that use of ADS may protect caregivers against the harmful effects of stress associated with giving care to someone with dementia.

More than just Fun and Games

While ADS days are filled with fun activities like sing-a-longs, community outings, baking, special meals, tasting groups, games, arts and crafts, and a variety of other entertaining options, many health-related activities also take place. Daily nutrition is a big part of the program, with participants enjoying a light breakfast, a well-balanced noon meal, and afternoon snack. Time for exercise is also scheduled every day.

The ADS team is also trained to care for clients with dementia and other disabilities. Each individual has his/her own care plan in place to address all of their health needs. Other health-related activities include:

• Admit and monthly nurse health assessments
• Therapy baseline assessment upon admittance
• Ongoing therapy/rehab as physician orders
• Dietitian assessment
• Activities of daily living assistance of staff: hair/skin/nails/toileting
• Provide transportation to medical appointments with ADS staff assistance
• Individual abuse prevention plans devised

RiverView’s ADS is licensed for 10 full-time individuals. Many of the current ADS participants are part-time, leaving room for more participants to enroll.

The RiverView program is available Monday - Friday, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. A van with a wheelchair lift provides transportation to and from homes in Crookston, or family members can drop their loved one off at the door with waiting staff.

It takes a lot of effort and resources to keep the program running smoothly. Crookston’s United Way is a big part of the ADS program’s success. With United Way funds, ADS has been able to offset costs for many projects that have enriched the lives of the program’s clients.

If you or a family member is interested in the ADS program, contact Nephew at 281-910-0001 or 218-910-0002.