Senior LIFE and Senior CARE
Megan Detwiler has quite a few success stories to share from Senior LIFE, an adult day care program in North Franklin Township.
As director of the facility, she has seen frail members grow stronger through physical therapy. She has seen homebodies find new sources of inspiration when they come to the Washington center. And while the program is not proven to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, she believes socializing in a structured environment can help Alzheimer’s patients stay engaged.
But at Senior LIFE, it isn’t just the member who is enrolled – it is the whole family, according to the program’s philosophy. Detwiler said the program provides respite to caretakers and helps families maximize their time together.
“They’re enjoying the time that they do get to spend with their loved one. It’s not a stressful time anymore,” Detwiler said. “We’re kind of taking care of a lot of the day-to-day things that need to be handled. They don’t need to worry about taking off work to take them to the doctor’s.”
The Washington facility keeps a physician, social worker, on-call nurses and rehabilitation specialists on staff. The program also provides transportation to and from members’ houses, and staff frequently do home evaluations and checkups.
“We’re more than just the adult day center. We’re the health care provider, we’re the physician, we’re the insurance company, we’re the medical transportation, we’re the home care,” Detwiler said. “We really are this full-service package of benefits.”
The program, known as PACE nationally and as LIFE in Pennsylvania, is funded by Medicare and Medicaid. All 200 members at Senior LIFE in Washington receive services at no cost because they meet the financial and medical requirements of the program.
Low-income seniors may be eligible for fully funded services at Senior LIFE if they are deemed Nursing Facility Clinically Eligible by the county Area Agency on Aging. For more information, visit www.seniorlifewashington.com or call 1-877-998-LIFE (5433).
The Washington center, on North Franklin Drive, offers the only LIFE program in Washington County. A satellite office called Senior CARE is on Sugar Run Road in Waynesburg.
The main goal of Senior LIFE is to keep members independent and with their families as long as possible. Detwiler said care plans are “living and breathing documents” that continue to change as the members change. Some members may come to the facility two days a week, while others may require the full five days of care.
Senior LIFE also has contracts with several skilled nursing facilities in the area, and members may be referred to a nursing home if their health declines and they require around-the-clock care.
At Senior LIFE, members can play games in the day room, lounge on the outdoor patio or exercise in the therapy room with physical therapist Denise Mooney.
Mooney said she feels it’s important for Alzheimer’s patients to keep active. One woman with dementia was declining physically, but physical therapy helped her walk again after she had been in a wheelchair.
“They have to get up in the morning, get dressed, get on a van, come here,” Mooney said of members’ daily routines. “They’re stimulated with other people, conversations, activities. I think these kinds of things help versus sitting at home where you might just be watching TV.”
Fred Pfender, whose wife, Elaine, has Alzheimer’s, said coming to Senior LIFE is the highlight of their week. He noticed an improvement in Elaine’s mood and said it also helps him focus on his own health.
“When we got in here, it took a big load off my back,” he said. “A lot of stress left because now we’re both taken care of. I know no matter what happens, she’s going to be taken care of.”