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Politics & Government

Senior Respite Care Program Will Continue at The Center

A grant to fund the senior respite care program has been extended one more year.

Medfield's respite care program will continue one more year, according to Selectman Osler "Pete" Peterson's personal blog, Medfield02052, and Roberta Lynch, the Director of the Medfield Council on Aging.

"Roberta Lynch tells me that the Council on Aging’s grant from the Metrowest Health Foundation to provide respite care at The Center has been extended for another year.  Roberta said that the Metrowest Health Foundation expects them to get their census up over the next year.  The hope is that the program will become self-financed once the census increases."

About the Program

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The program is based in the “warm, cozy, secure atmosphere” of The Center at Medfield on Ice House Road. The room is set up like a studio apartment with tables and chairs, rocking chair and television, computers, and a place to have a snack. The clients start and end their day at The Club but will spend a good portion of their day exploring the many programs offered at the senior center.

“They’ll be going to the lunchroom for lunch, and outside to enjoy the patio…There’s a lot for them to do,” Lynch told Patch when the program started in April. 

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According to The Club’s information brochure, the goals of The Club are to provide a caring, home-like setting to stimulate, engage, socialize, encourage, participate, exercise, reminisce and support seniors.

The program also offers support to caregivers, including much-needed free time, decreased stress, support group meetings, personal counseling, resources and referrals. 

The brochure also includes caregiving statistics:

  • 31 percent of family caregivers admit they would like more help
  • The average length of care giving is 4.3 years
  • Alzheimer’s Association estimates there are 120,000 people with Alzheimer’s in Massachusetts
  • Adult children taking care of parents has tripled since 1994
  • Caregivers wait too long to use respite to help prevent caregiver burnout
  • One third of family caregivers have symptoms of depression
  • People with moderate dementia have been able to defer institutionalization by nearly a year when their family members receive caregiver support services

For more information, contact Lynch at the Council on Aging at (508) 359-3665 or medfieldcoa@hotmail.com

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