COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

 

Winchester, Virginia, is the largest city in a six-county area and supports a population of approximately 20,000, within a total county population of 45,000.  Located only 70 miles east of Washington, D.C., the community has experienced a steady growth in population. Commuters find Winchester a convenient distance from the urban hub and  young families are finding Winchester to be an ideal location in which to rear their children.

 

The area surrounding Winchester is quite rural and contains apple and peach orchards.  Winchester sits in the largest apple producing county in the State of Virginia.  The University of Shenandoah, known for its music program, is situated in Winchester. 

 

Although Winchester is experiencing growth, communities in the adjacent five counties contain mountainous terrain and are not faring as well.  In these largely rural areas, there are elderly individuals still living without the benefit of running water in the home and there is a waiting list for the home-delivered meals program.

 

 

PROJECT INITIATIVE

 

Organization and Needs Assessment

 

In the 1980's, an Aging Forum was organized in Winchester, comprising representatives from various organizations directly involved with the elderly population.  The Aging Forum met monthly to discuss the needs of elderly citizens and other issues affecting the elderly population of Winchester and the surrounding areas.  Several members of the forum were approached by members of the community regarding situations involving homebound elderly persons and their caregivers. 

 

The forum actively pursued a method to document the situation of homebound elders and to assess the needs of this segment of the elderly population, without incurring large expenses.   A Shenandoah University nursing student conducted a survey of potential users of an adult day care for respite and programs.  The study revealed that 26 persons believed they would utilize an adult day care, if one were available.  The data were submitted to established, nonprofit organizations, but none were interested in developing the project.  Several members of the aging forum formed a private, nonprofit corporation through which the adult care center could be developed, implemented and managed.  A board of directors was selected and a local attorney donated his time and expertise to write the articles of incorporation. 

 

 

 

Utilizing Local Resources

 

The group went to the University of Shenandoah and received letters of commitment from the Departments of Occupational Therapy and Music Therapy.  Both departments agreed to place students with the adult day care facility to supply occupational and music therapy.  The leadership of a local 4-H group drafted a letter of support and commitment to provide monthly intergenerational programs and a local artist supplied a letter of commitment to conduct biweekly art classes for adult care center participants. 

 

The local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) authored a letter of support which committed that organization to donate meals during the first year of operation.  The AAA further supported the effort by committing one employee who would be paid with Title V funds to help staff the adult care center. The director of the local "for-profit" home health agency became a member of the board of directors and pledged four hours of time each month by a certified nurse assistant to help with client care when the facility became operational.

 

A local church was in the process of constructing a new wing and donated a room in the new wing as the location for the adult care center.  They also offered to cover the utility costs.

 

Having organized faster than the new wing of the church could be constructed, the adult care center initially began accepting clients at a temporary location donated by another local church.  In August of 1993, the adult care center became operational in its temporary location offering services four hours per week.  Respite was the only service initially offered, but in response to client requests, services quickly expanded to include a general caregiver's support group.  Established community support groups for Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, and Parkinson disease were brought under the direction of the Adult Care Center.

 

FUNDING

 

As services were being developed, a grant was submitted to the Center on Rural Development in Richmond, Virginia.  The letters of support which had been received earlier were used to substantiate the programs and services proposed for the new Adult Care Center.  The grant was awarded to the group for a one year term. 

 

The funding was used to hire a full-time director and a part-time aide.  Grant monies funded a lending library and covered miscellaneous start-up costs.  By February 14, 1994, the Adult Care Center of the Northern Shenandoah Valley, Inc. was a full-time operation and had moved into its newly constructed permanent location.

 

After the Grant

 

When the grant year expired and grant money was no longer available, the Adult Care Center Board of Directors was prepared.  Small local grants had been researched, applied for and received.  Well-planned, fund-raising events provided a significant amount of needed fund­ing. 

 

The board of directors as well as the full-time director had been informed that it takes approximately five years for an Adult Care Center to stabilize financially and begin to support itself.  They have found these projections to be correct.

 

The Adult Care Center is now a private non-profit corporation with a 501(c)3 tax status.  It is also a United Way Agency and member of the Virginia Association of Adult Day Services.

 

CHALLENGES

 

It has been a challenge to familiarize the community with the con­cept of adult day care and the services available. The cost of advertising is somewhat pro­hibitive, so word of mouth, public speaking, and pro­fessional referral tend to be the major methods of disseminating information about the Adult Care Center and the services it offers.  

 

CURRENT STATUS

 

The Adult Care Center offers a wide variety therapeutic activities for seniors.  The Center also hosts monthly support group meetings for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and general caregivers, as well as hosting an annual symposium for caregivers and professionals.  A lending library has been established to make material on these subjects available for loan to the community.

 

PLANS FOR FUTURE GROWTH

 

As the public has become more aware of the support services for caregivers, there has been a growing interest the Adult Care Center as a resource.  Information about dementia, care giving and the importance of respite have been identified by client demand as topics of concern for caregivers.  The staff of the Adult Care Center has been called upon by community groups to help develop seminars focusing on aging issues.  Nursing homes have requested that the staff of the Adult Care Center conduct in-services for their staff to keep them updated on information and care of elderly patients suffering from dementia. 

 

Without any special initiatives, the Adult Care Center has become a public resource center regarding issues surrounding dementia and care giving of homebound elders. This unforeseen development has also placed the director and staff of the Adult Care Center in a position to disseminate information about the center and its services.  As more community groups and nursing homes become aware of the Adult Care Center, it is anticipated that there will be more opportunities to educate the public, disseminate information about the Adult Care Center of the Northern Shenandoah Valley, Inc., as well as to anticipate changing needs and concerns of the elderly population.