Adult day care program in Rockland helps people with dementia
News 12 spent time at Active Adult Day Care on Monday to look at its dementia care program during Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month.
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Active Adult Day Care began offering a dementia care program a year ago at its space inside the Palisades Center mall on the third floor.
It touts being the only outpatient program of its kind in Rockland County not connected with a facility.
News 12 spent time there on Monday during Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month.
"One of the biggest responses we get is from the family, 'thank you. We're getting a day off,'" said Richard Serrano, the CEO of Active Rockland.
He says they have a waitlist but would need more funding to see more people.
It currently run off grants from New York State's Office of Aging. It thanks the agency's acting director Greg Olsen.
News 12 saw adults working their brain by remembering throwback songs through an activity called "Memory Lane TV," a water painting activity and chair yoga.
The program is run for a few hours on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Jennifer Nissani, the program director who leads the group, shares the difference she's seen firsthand in one man.
"He never spoke in adult day care. I've been here for three years. He joined my group with about 10 people - he was so lively. He was laughing. He was sharing," she says.
Erica Salamida, a member of New York State's Alzheimer's Association Coalition explains the benefits of those types of activities.
"When you get a person involved in some of these creative things that provide enjoyment, they're distracted and sometimes can help to mitigate those behavioral challenges," she says.
Statistics from the Alzheimer's Association show an estimated 7.2 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's dementia.
Alzheimer's disease is said to be the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60% to 80% of dementia cases.
