Let's Talk... April 2019
National Volunteer Month
Message from the CEO
Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
Join us!

2nd Annual
Artist Gathering
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Friday, May 3rd
4pm-5pm

Celebrating Enrichment Center Adult Day Program participant's artwork .

Community Senior Services
Enrichment Center

We had the pleasure of speaking with Joe Laponis, husband of Billie Laponis, who is a participant at our Enrichment Center Adult Day Program. Billie has lived with dementia for 4 years. Once given the diagnosis, Joe thought he could handle caregiving for Billie all alone. He quickly learned he was mistaken. As day to day tasks became more difficult for Billie, Joe realized that he needed resources quickly. 
 
Before joining the Enrichment Center Billie would spend her time at home sleeping. Joe stated, "The Neurologist prescribed medication with terrible side effects and the best advice they gave me was to keep her involved in cognitive activities. I tried to keep her engaged at home and it just ended up frustrating both of us. But here at the Enrichment Center she's playing Musical BINGO and UNO... she's happy, she's smiling."

With the help of the Enrichment Center volunteers Joe is able to run errands knowing that Billie is in a safe and comfortable environment . Joe expressed "I can’t see her being in an assisted living center. I can’t bring myself to the realization that someone else has to take care of her, that I can’t do it...she likes being at home."
 
Joe began attending our Family Caregiver Support Groups where he receives special and individualized support and an opportunity to share the challenges of caregiving with a very supportive group of other car egivers. He stated "There is no reversing Alzheimer's... but I've learned better ways to deal with it."

Joe expressed how grateful he is for the volunteers and Angelika, Enrichment Center Director, who he feels is now an extended family.

"The Enrichment Center activities cannot be replicated, it is a miracle." -Joe Laponis
Life Bible Fellowship Church
Community Impact Project
Thank you to Life Bible Fellowship Church for selecting Community Senior Services as one of their community impact projects. We would like to extend a deep appreciation to the congregation for giving the Enrichment Center a clean, fresh, and calming new look. When a community comes together it is amazing the things that can be accomplished. Life Bible Fellowship Church canceled church services to create a day of meeting tangible needs in our community. Their church showing love to a community that needs it.
Life Bible Church also helped a Claremont resident clean up his overgrown yard and he avoided a City code citation in the process. The yard looks beautiful now and our Claremonter is pleased with the work. He was truly impacted in a positive way by this community outreach.
Family Caregiver Support
Please meet Charlene Hazelton! Charlene has been volunteering on the Phone Assurance Line (PAL) line for years. Our warm hearted PAL volunteers call Claremont residents daily to check on their well-being. Charlene has been a daily, caring voice to our seniors who are isolated and
home-bound.
Thank you to Charlene for being the sunshine in the lives of many!


If you are interested in volunteering on the PAL line please call
Lydia at 909-621-9900.