Alex and Barb Nameth opened A Friends Place because of personal experience as caregivers.[/caption]
A Friends Place owners Alex and Barb Nameth said they found themselves at a crossroads. They had been the primary caregivers for Alex’s father, who had dementia, and were struggling to meet his needs. They opted to place him in an assisted-care facility, and after his father died, Alex said he knew his work was not finished.
“After his passing, my wife and I decided we needed to do something for people like my dad,” he said. “I quit my job in technology and looked at a lot of options for seniors and found that this model was one we felt my dad would have done well in.”
With that motivation, Alex and Barb opened A Friends Place in September 2010. A Friends Place is an adult day service provider that specializes in daytime care and programs for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory-loss conditions. Its services and programs support the efforts of caregivers who care for loved ones at home.
A Friends Place now serves 30 members a day and has served more than 300 individuals in the program.
“The program is designed for the members with ancillary benefits to the caregivers because they get some respite and time to do whatever they would normally do,” Alex said. “For us we know, and physicians will validate this, [our services are] as powerful as any medication out there today as far as slowing the process of the disease down. Everything we do, from the programs to the colors of the carpet and walls to the decisions we make, is to slow the disease down.”
Programs at the center include social activity such as singalongs, music, dancing, exercise, games, and both men’s and women’s reminiscing and discussion groups. Community service programs and volunteer programs are also available.
A Friends Place also offers programs for those newly diagnosed with dementia or with slight memory difficulty. Those programs include mind-strengthening activities, memory tips and strategies, a book club, art appreciation class and a Spanish language class.
Support groups are also offered and led by Alex and staff registered nurse Ginger Bain.
“We try to support the caregivers as much as we can to help them find resources,” Bain said. “Many times just talking to one another can help the situation. They share their experiences with one another, and the credibility is very high because most of the people who work here have personal experiences similar to the caregivers.”
Funding assistance for veterans is available through a partnership between A Friends Place and the Veterans Administration. Other financial aid may be available for those who qualify through the local Agency on Aging.
