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While this nonprofit organization is funded through United Way and other sources, its ability to reach its goal to raise $6,000 through this endeavor is important to all citizens in the county. It provides a unique service that not only is critical to its users currently, but in the future will be critical to many others.
“We provide day care to older adults who are no longer able to safely stay at home alone,” said Carolyn Sidwell, executive director of The Life Center.
“We’re here to keep these people in their own homes as long as possible.”
The day-care services available through The Life Center enable the caregivers of people afflicted with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia to continue working while their parents or spouses are being looked after by professionals — and at a reasonable price.
There are three levels of care, depending upon the needs of the individual. Those who need the most extensive care are charged $51 per day; those who need the least pay $37 per day. The price for the middle care-level is $42 per day.
“We have federal and state grants available for folks who are unable to meet the cost of the service,” Sidwell said.
Transportation costs for people who live in the Thomasville area are $10 per day, which is a bargain, according to Sidwell.
“Our staff members go to their homes and pick them up,” she said. “A lot of times, we’ll go through the door to help them go into the van. Then we’ll bring them to the center. At the end of the day we’ll take them home and help them inside, if necessary.”
The center is located at 601 W. Center St. in Lexington. It is open Monday through Friday, from 7:15 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. Breakfast is served at 8:30, lunch is at noon and a nutritious snack comes in the afternoon. The eight-person staff includes a program director, an activity assistant, a cook and three registered nurses.
There are currently 38 people using this facility, however, Sidwell says there is room for 65. When The Life Center opened on July 14, 1980, it was on Franklin Street at the current location of the American Red Cross. Eventually a larger location was needed and the current location, which had been the home of Printcraft, was purchased, gutted and turned into the 10,000-square-foot facility that is being used today.
“When we bought this building and refurbished it, we knew we wouldn’t fill it up, and we didn’t even want to fill it up in the beginning,” said Carolyn Bennett, president-elect of the center’s board of directors. “We were hoping it was going to meet our needs for a long time coming.”
Eventually, it is a given that the current facility, which opened on Jan. 1, 2002, will be filled. Meanwhile, there are hopes that the Life Center can come to Thomasville.
“Some day we would like for Thomasville to have its own branch of The Life Center,” Bennett said. “I don’t know if right now would even be a good time to even discuss that. It takes a lot of money, and there are so many demands on people’s money around here these days. But I can see it happening somewhere down the road, when we get a better footing economically.”
According to Sidwell, there are currently more people coming to the center from Thomasville than there are from within the city limits of Lexington.
Many, if not most, of the seniors who come to The Life Center, do not consider themselves to be care recipients.
“Some folks think they’re coming here to go to school,” Sidwell said. “A lot of them think they’re here as volunteers. Some of them think this is work, and a lot of ladies think this is a social event.”
Sidwell encourages Davidson County residents, who think The Life Center might be useful for their family, to drop by and check the place out.
“People don’t need an appointment just to come in and visit,” she said. “The enrollment process takes about 30 to 40 minutes, so they should schedule an appointment for that.”
Often the first visit can be traumatic for the adult who is going there for the first time.
“Initially it’s very scary, like the first day of school when they don’t know anybody and are unsure of the situation,” Sidwell said. “Once they get used to the routine, it becomes a pleasant experience.”
These pleasant experiences can be a godsend to families that need such a service and without The Life Center, some of these families would be in turmoil.
“We have several would-be caregivers, who simply would not be able to continue the lifestyle they currently have,” Sidwell said. “They have a couple of choices: quit their job and take care of their loved ones or place them in a long-term-care facility.”
Therefore, the success of the fundraiser is important. Currently they have raised about $4,000 of their goal of $6,000. Bob Timberlake helped out by donating the property for the weekend at Chetoa. Carolina Envelope helped out by donating the fancy printed invitations. If you would like to be invited to this “non-event” or learn more about The Life Center, call the center at 249-2155.
“It’s a wonderful idea and I do believe we’re going to reach our goal,” Bennett said.
It is certainly a worthwhile goal for a worthwhile cause.
Staff writer Kevin Reid can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 230, or reid@tvileetimes.com.