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Expanded Adult Day Health Care Program increases options in northern Erie, Niagara Story and photos
by Terry Duffy
Senior and disabled residents in Erie and Niagara counties now have a new option in medical care following news last week that the Schofield Residence, a nonprofit, community-based provider, has expanded to greater serve the needs of residents in the two-county area. The Schofield group, based in Kenmore, reports it is now able to greater serve the communities’ health needs through its recent acquisition of an Adult Day Health Care Program, operated earlier by the Episcopal Church Home and Affiliates in Buffalo, according to Edward J. Gray, Schofield president. Schofield, which has operated its own Adult Day Health Care Program in its nursing facility located at 3333 Elmwood Ave., since 1987, can now serve more residents in need of this type of care, including those on Grand Island and in Niagara County. The nursing home operator held a ribbon-cutting on Nov. 15 at its new, attractive Adult Day Health Care facility, located on the third floor of the Sheehan Health Network, 425 Michigan Ave., in downtown Buffalo. Gray reports that with its acquisition of the Episcopal program in October came new clients, the need for additional space and services, and demands for new location to greater serve the community. “At the new location, clients benefit from several specialty outpatient clinics on site at Sheehan Memorial Hospital,” says Gray. Sheehan is also centrally located, close to downtown Buffalo and major transportation routes, making it possible for Schofield to expand the service area for our program.” Benefits Erie, Niagara He points out Schofield’s expanded Adult Day Health Care Program, which is operated under license by the New York State Health Department, has appeal to northern Erie County residents and particularly those in Niagara County, due to the very limited availability of existing Adult Day Care options to serve the county’s population of 220,000. For Niagara, that problem was expected to worsen, due to the projected closing of the Mount View nursing facility in coming months. Schofield hopes to alleviate that concern with the newly expanded Adult Day program offering in Buffalo. “Schofield’s expanded program now has the capacity to serve more than 200 people, making it the largest Adult Day Health Care Program in the region,” says Gray. “The program operates a morning and afternoon session on weekdays, and one session on Saturdays.” And there’s room to grow to serve the needs of both counties, reports Laura Mondello, director of Community Relations and Volunteer Services. She says the Schofield Adult Day at Sheehan can accommodate 65 individuals in the mornings and 45 in the afternoons and in its Saturday session. “They are currently operating at 60 to 65 percent capacity.” She points out the Sheehan facility, formerly a full-service inner-city hospital, brings a number of positives for the Adult Day participant. “Sheehan has a lot of programs. They have clinics, detox services, and a number of community-based programs where people come in and make use of those clinics.” Mondello says state officials on the hospital closure commission also recognized the value of the Sheehan Health Network facility, conveniently accessible from the Elm-Oak arterial via the I-190, and the need to provide service options, notably Adult Day, for Erie and Niagara residents. “Instead of closing it, they said ‘grow.’ They recognize a need for the services it offers. For us its an excellent location,” she adds. Candice Duffy, director of the Schofield program, reports that Adult Day is an invaluable service offering to area residents, in that it provides options to individuals and families seeking rehabilitative therapy or alternatives to nursing home placement. “Schofield’s Adult Day Health Care program provides care to frail elders and disabled individuals who otherwise might need nursing home care,” she says. “The program provides health and rehabilitation services aimed at maintaining or improving the participants’ everyday functioning. Participants attend on a schedule arranged to meet their individual needs.” “The program reduces emergency room visits and hospitalizations, while providing education, support and respite for family members who are caregivers,” she adds.
Among its health offerings are audiology, speech therapy, health monitoring, nutritional services, occupational therapy, physical therapy and social services/case management. Adult Day can also address such patient needs as dental care, ophthalmology, podiatry, radiology, laboratory services – even beauty and barbershop visits. Duffy points out Adult Day provides the client and their family both convenience as well as peace of mind. In addition to it being a viable option to nursing home care, allowing the individual to maintain independence at home, it offers a coordinated program of services, be it restorative therapy, socialization and preventive care – all in a single setting. What’s more, its availability offers family members assistance by means of its many services, including transportation needs, as well as welcome relief from the daily responsibilities of care giving for the disabled or senior family member. Adult Day provides medical services to those affected by diabetes, strokes, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Lupus and traumatic brain injuries. It can also benefit individuals recovering from fractures, amputations or joint replacements. Truly wide-ranging, its options include nursing care, OT, PT and speech therapy, the aforementioned social service offerings, nutritional guidance, and health care monitoring of blood pressure, blood sugar levels and medications. The program operates six days a week, with two sessions -- mornings and afternoons offered Monday through Friday -- plus a Saturday afternoon session available for clients. Transportation is available by means of a wheel chair-equipped van service, and the program works with government and private health insurance plans. For further information, call 819-9200, or visit www.schofield.org.
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