Posted on Sep 05, 2017

 

When the kids from Fridley Public Schools’ Tiger Club delivered a large, brightly decorated poster they made welcoming Rise’s Adult Day Program to the Fridley Community Center (FCC) on August 1, Program Director Judy Andersen knew for sure this was going to be a great collaboration.

“I was amazed and delighted – everyone here has made us feel so welcomed!” said Judy.

Due to the increased request for services, Rise has added two new Adult Day Programs (ADP): at the FCC and the Maplewood Community Center YMCA. Rise also offers ADP services at the Emma B. Howe Northtown Family YMCA in Coon Rapids and the Mounds View YMCA / Community Center.

“From our initial discussions with Fridley Community Education Coordinator Stephen Keeler on expanding our program to this site, the FCC team has had wonderful ideas about how we can integrate people served in Adult Day into the many interesting programs they have here.”

Together the two groups came up with great ways people could access FCC resources. People who are ages 60 and above can attend any of the center’s senior programs, including lunchtime dining, watching movies, and playing bingo.

The FCC’s sewing group has been generous with their time and talents. They brought in handmade quilts and plan to make lap quilts as well as sew lumbar pillows for people’s comfort while sitting in chairs. In the coming months, people may opt to volunteer spending time with kids in the FCC’s Tiger Club day care program.

Prior to its opening on August 14, Judy also worked with staff from the Maplewood Community Center YMCA to discuss programming opportunities and determine how the two agency teams can work together.

“I’m confident we are going to enjoy the same kind of program partnership at Maplewood as we enjoy at our other three ADP sites,” Judy noted.

ADP offers specialized recreational, personal growth, and health-related services for people who have a brain injury or physical disability such as multiple sclerosis or arthritis.

The program provides unique opportunities for creating friendships and developing new possibilities for personal growth.

With individual, flexible scheduling, people can create their full-time or part-time schedule to suit their personal needs.  Depending on the Rise Adult Day location, people can choose to participate in a wide range of activities, including art and music therapies, cooking and nutrition, YMCA group classes and events, fitness activities, volunteer community service projects, as well as social and learning activities.

Those attending range in age from the mid-20s to retirement age. Rise’s ADP team members are trained in CPR and first aid as well as medication administration;  several are also certified as brain injury specialists.

For more information regarding Rise’s Adult Day Programs, please contact Judy Andersen at: 763-567-0626; jandersen@rise.org.

This article appears in the September 2017 issue of the Rise Reporter.