Keeping Healthy: Living life to the fullest at Adult Day Health Care

"They do a world of good, it's very encouraging as you get older and you get less mobile, very encouraging."

Geraldine Arsenault, or Gerry, has been coming to Adult Day Health Care since 2010.

"I came up with a disease called necrotizing fasciitis, I'm a survivor of it.  I spent nine and half months in the hospital... You know it's really a lot of fun, we have a lot of fun here, and we're like one big family here."

Adult Day Health Care has an on-site program at Valley Health Services, and off-site at Little Falls Hospital.  It's a community program for the chronically ill, elderly and disabled for those 21 years of age and older.  Director of the program Cheryl Laquay says she's seen an increase in the need for their services in the past few years. 

"I think number one, as diabetes becomes more and more of a problem, we see a lot more people with diabetes; dementia is also a growing disease--and let's face it when you have a mother or a husband at home that has dementia, that's scary.

  The Program provides several medical services, transportation, meals, hygiene services, and a great amount of socialization and recreational activities - all to prevent frequent hospitalization and keep those they serve in their homes as long as possible. 

"Families can't say enough about the program, that you know you've actually kept my mom home longer, if it weren't for you she wouldn't still be here," says Laquay.

And Gerry says she - and her eight children - couldn't agree more.

"Oh they like seeing me keep going, they don't want me to get depressed and just stop living, they don't want me to do that...it keeps me going, yea, and you look forward to coming."