(Photo above courtesy of Thelma’s Place)
Stephanie Roderick is the executive director of Thelma’s Place and Whoopsy Daisy Child Center. Thelma’s Place will open November 2015 and the Child Center will open January 2016. This is the first intergenerational program in Deschutes County.
This intergenerational program is part of a Memory Care Community developed by Erik Berkey located at 1350 NW Canal Blvd. in Redmond consisting of Country Side Living, a 35 bed community for people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementia as well as Thelma’s Place Day Respite and Whoopsy Daisy Child Center. The grand opening for Country Side is set for October 16.
Although new to Central Oregon, Thelma’s Place, a nonprofit organization, originated in Canby, Oregon in 2009 and is beneficial for someone taking care of a loved one at home by:
• Giving a fun, safe place for their loved one to come each week to socialize, learn memory enhancing exercises, enjoy day trips, and participate in games and creative arts with other people who are also living with memory loss.
• Providing education, support, hope, and encouragement for the caregiver who has a 24/7 job that many fell heir to without much prior training.
• Providing caregivers with a few hours of respite each week from their responsibilities so they can rest and recharge their own batteries to carry on for another day.
Adding Whoopsy Daisy Child Center to the memory care community will bridge the gap between the young and old and has huge benefits to both age groups.Research indicates that seniors involved in intergenerational programing experience less depression, fewer sick days and more joy in their lives. They become mentors, storytellers and “grandparents” to the children as they engage in special daily activities with them.
According to Generations United, children participating in intergenerational programs experience improved reading scores, enhanced social skills and have decreased negative behavior compared to children in regular programs. Children in Whoopsy Daisy will be able to interact with the seniors in both Country Side and Thelma’s Place.
Tours will be given to Thelma’s Place and Whoopsy Daisy at the Grand Opening of Country Side on Friday, October 16 from 12-7pm at 1350 NW Canal Blvd. in Redmond. There will be delicious hors d’oeuvres, raffle drawings, refreshments, live music and local art displays in addition to the tours. Everyone is invited to attend.
For information about Thelma’s Place Day Respite and Whoopsy Daisy Child Centerand how to become involved by donating your time, money or talent to Thelma’s Place, call Stephanie at 503.209.6827. Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thelmasplaceresources
