A place for everyone

Durango’s Our Place offers patients, caregivers a chance to recharge

by Tracy Chamberlin

As baby boomers age – and live longer thanks to medical advances and improved care – Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are coming out of the shadows. And likewise, ways to care for sufferers, as well as their caregivers, is also coming to the forefront.
“In 10 years, we’ll have so many more,” Tanya Boyce, executive director Our Place, an adult day-care facility, said of the growing number of Alzheimer’s patients. “We need to start getting things in place now.”

Located in Grandview near Mercy Medical Center, Our Place is a facility where loved ones can be dropped off for a few hours so caregivers can run errands or just recharge.

It’s a growing trend in the U.S. with 4,600 adult day-care facilities across the country. In La Plata County, 13 percent of residents are 65 or older. One in nine of these residents suffer from some form of dementia, according to the 2013 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.
For caregivers, the diagnosis changes everything.

Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, symptoms typically come on slowly and get worse over time, eventually interfering with everyday tasks like eating and moving around.
“When you’re taking care of someone like this, day-in and day-out, it really gets to you,” Boyce said.
Caregivers can also suffer from medical conditions due to the stress and fatigue of taking care of their loved ones. Boyce said the goal is to keep them both out of the doctor’s office, and she wants caregivers to reach out for support.
“They have to remember they’re not the only one,” she said. “It’s OK to take your loved one somewhere. If you can’t take care of you, how are you going to take care of your loved one?”

It all began more than five years ago when First United Methodist Church challenged its members to find a need in the community and a way to fill that need. One group found a need for adult day care.
In August 2010, Our Place opened its doors and since then it has helped 42 families.
Not everyone who calls finds their way to Our Place. Boyce said some caregivers will back away from the support, perhaps believing their loved ones wouldn’t want it if they had a say. Or, they put it off until the disease is too far along and adult day care is no longer an option.
“Don’t put it off until it’s too late,” she said.

Margaret Crawley has been volunteering at Our Place for the past three years. She spent time at the Durango Senior Center, where she learned of Our Place. She’s been helping out one day a week since.
“This is a great facility for people to bring their loved ones,” Crawley said, “so they can cope with what they’re going through.”
Many in the early stages don’t even realize something is wrong. However, once they are diagnosed, their caregivers can’t let them out of their sight. Not for a moment.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive and, eventually, fatal disease.
Unlike children, who grow and learn daily, those living with Alzheimer’s lose something every day. Something they can’t get back. Like the memories of loved ones or the ability to take care of themselves. And, no two people are alike.
Elaine Stumpo, who has served as the regional director for the Alzheimer’s Association for the past 17 years, has witnessed the effects first-hand. A parent, aunt, uncle and others she’s known have suffered from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
She said each person has individual symptoms and behaviors.
Perhaps one person can solve complicated math problems, but have trouble remembering they’re married. Another might be able to hold a conversation about music, movies or politics, but, they can no longer walk around without help.
It’s a huge struggle for caregivers, Stumpo said. They know their loved ones are losing the ability to care for themselves.
“It takes its emotional toll. Caregiving is a hard, hard job,” she said.
But Stumpo believes in her lifetime a cure will be found. After only 25 years since its inception, the Alzheimer’s Association has made huge strides toward that cure.

All the monies the regional chapter raises go toward two things: research and support. Funds help cover the cost of caring for individuals or are used to pay for research to help find a cure. Stumpo said none of it goes to administrators. In fact, she is paid through grants.
Whether it’s understanding the legal issues or just having someone to talk to, Stumpo said, the resources are out there. Caregivers just need to give her a call.

“To know you’re not alone is the most important thing when dealing with this kind of thing,” she said.
Caregivers typically spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week looking after their loved ones. Simply stepping outside to water flowers or feed animals is a difficult task.

Having a few hours each day or each week to recharge can make all the difference.
“It’s real hard not to get frustrated,” Kathy Schuetz, whose husband used to attend Our Place, explained.
After her husband passed, Schuetz came back to Our Place to work as a volunteer. “It’s just special. It’s like your family,” she said.
Our Place is not an institution with cold hallways and white walls. It’s full of comfortable couches, a couple recliners, a puzzle corner and picture collages. It’s a place where dessert is celebrated and conversation welcome.
The guests at Our Place might play games, get some rest, work on chair exercises, go outside, do crafts, or just enjoy a healthy lunch. It depends on the day.

Wednesday is music day. So, guests that day might play an instrument or listen to others perform. No matter the activity, they are given an opportunity to socialize with others, remain active and remain social. And, most importantly, they remain relevant.
“One of the most important things is that they have a worth in the world,” Schuetz said.
No matter who the person is or how the disease affects them, Our Place works with each person individually. Boyce said it’s something they cater to – the individual.

As much as the community needs Our Place today and in the future, Our Place needs the community. The biggest fundraiser of the year for the facility is just around the corner: a charity golf tournament on Sun., May 17, at Hillcrest Golf Club. Tee times start at 1:30 p.m.
Whether it’s volunteers like Crawley and Schuetz or funds to buy new puzzles, Our Place can’t keep the doors open with hourly rates alone. It’s just $25 to bring a loved one there for two hours. The cost per hour goes down if patrons stay longer, and scholarships are available to those in need.
“This place is worth every penny,” Schuetz said.

To find out more about Our Place, call 385-5200 or visit ourplacedurango.org. To find out about resources and support, call Elaine Stumpo with the Alzheimer’s Association, 259-0122.