As our organization continues to grow, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Services is changing our name and updating our logo. We’re excited to announce that on January 1, 2018, our official name became MemoryLane Care Services.
In the upcoming year, we will also be adopting a health model for our Adult Day Center program that will enable us to provide additional support and services to families utilizing the Center. In addition to the current day programming, the new model will offer nursing and social work services and continually integrate evidence-based interventions proven to benefit families using adult day services.
“We believe the added services will support families in their day-to-day caregiving responsibilities, while helping individuals who attend the Center live the best quality of life possible,” states Salli Bollin, MemoryLane’s executive director.
MemoryLane Care Services’ mission as a local, private, nonprofit organization is to offer care, services, advice, and support to persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders—as well as their families and caregivers; provide education and information to the public and healthcare professionals about the nature and effects of Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders; and to advocate for increased support and services for persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
As an organization, we believe in challenging the status quo while promoting our vision for hope and a better quality of life for all. With compassion, love, support and understanding, we engage and protect the most vulnerable piece of what it means to be human. Every day, we provide improved quality of life for our participants; hands-on respite care; well-deserved rest and support for caregivers; and advocacy for those affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia.
At MemoryLane, we design our services with each individual family in mind, to meet both the needs of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia and those caring for them. We strive to support each individual family’s needs while also supporting strengths, abilities, and independence. Our services include:
Adult Day Services which provide structured, person-centered, and therapeutic activities to adults experiencing cognitive impairment related to chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, and respite for family caregivers. Our professional staff delivers services in a safe and caring environment. Day services include assistance with personal needs, group and individualized activities, light breakfast, lunch, and snacks, therapeutic music programs, physical exercise programs, and transportation to and from the Center.
Short-term Institutional Respite Care, offered in collaboration with the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio’s Caregiver Support Program. This program provides short-term respite care to family caregivers living in the Ohio counties of Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Sandusky, Williams, and Wood by paying the cost for room and board in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Caregiver Support Supplemental Services, also offered in collaboration with the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio’s Caregiver Support Program, helps area family caregivers in acquiring and paying for resources and materials to help with caregiving responsibilities.
Website, Information Materials, and Education. We maintain an informational website that includes educational materials, articles, and links to resources available about dementia and caregiving. In addition, we provide up-to-date printed information, educational programs, and outreach activities related to caregiving, dementia, and local community resources—all free of charge.
Our history and future
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Services became an independent not-for-profit organization in July, 2016, by assuming the adult day services and short-term institutional respite programs from the Alzheimer’s Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter. Since then, we have supported Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan families in need of respite care. In 2017, we served 195 families and provided over 56,700 hours of respite care.
In 2018, as MemoryLane Care Services, our new adult day services model will benefit families and our local community, alike. In addition to offering health related services at the Center, we will be adopting successful interventions such as tai-chi training, and further incorporating technology into our programming and operations to promote creativity and efficiency.
“During the past year, we studied the best practices of other adult day services programs throughout the country,” says Bollin. “We’re excited to begin integrating many of those practices into our services to better support families on an ongoing basis.”
According to Michael Malone, MemoryLane Care Services’ board chair, the organization strives to support families throughout their caregiving journey.
“As our new name and logo imply, MemoryLane recognizes that the paths families take as caregivers are wide and varied,” explains Malone. “We wanted our name to reflect our past work while encompassing our future direction as an organization.”
Malone adds that MemoryLane Care Services will continue to grow as an organization to offer services that are relevant to the needs of local caregiving families.
“We truly recognize the inherent dignity and needs of each family,” says Malone. “As an organization with caring, compassionate, and dedicated leadership, staff, and volunteers, we are determined to make a positive difference in our clients’ daily lives.”