Glenmeadow Announces Caregivers Support Group Meeting Dates in October, November, December
Monthly sessions for those assisting loved ones with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia
LONGMEADOW—Glenmeadow’s new Caregivers Support Group for both professionals and family members who are assisting someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia will continue in October with meetings on Oct. 3 at 5:30 and Oct. 26 at noon.
Meetings will be held at the life plan community at 24 Tabor Crossing twice per month on the first Tuesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and the third Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. A free light meal will be offered.
In November, sessions will be held Nov. 7 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and Nov. 30 from noon to 1 p.m.
In December, sessions will be held Dec. 5 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and Dec. 28 from noon to 1 p.m.
The creation of the group is a direct result of a strategic planning initiative outlined last year to enhance services in the area of dementia care.
Glenmeadow’s Caregivers Support Group will offer information and support to professionals and those caring for a loved one. It is designed to provide participants with an opportunity to learn more about dementia and to understand their individual feelings about the life-changes associated with it.
Participants will learn practical caregiving techniques, get mutual support, learn about local resources, and find solutions to challenging behaviors.
Glenmeadow staff members Laura Lavoie, director of life enrichment; Ruth Dickinson, R.N., wellness nurse; JoAnn Paier, R.N., health care coordinator; and Emily Perkins, director of Glenmeadow at Home and a certified care manager, will lead the group.
The program is free but reservations are required by calling Laura Lavoie at 413-355-5905.
Glenmeadow is a nonprofit life plan community—formerly known as a retirement community—and it has a mission to serve seniors in the Greater Springfield region, whether they live on the Longmeadow campus or in their own homes.
Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is an accredited life plan community; it provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout greater Springfield.
To learn more about Glenmeadow and its history and offerings, visit www.glenmeadow.org.
About Glenmeadow
In the 1800s, elderly individuals without family or means were sent to live at what was called “the poor farm.” In 1884, a group of civic leaders raised funds among themselves and other area families and purchased a house on Main Street in Springfield’s south end, establishing The Springfield Home for Aged Women. Quickly outgrowing that house, land was purchased on the corner of Chestnut and Carew streets, where a new home was constructed and opened in 1900. In 1960, the name was changed to Chestnut Knoll, and, in 1992, it began to admit men.
In 1993, the organization purchased a 23-acre parcel in Longmeadow to build a new community that would provide both independent living and assisted living in one building with various common areas. This was a new concept known as a continuing care retirement community. Existing residents from the old Chestnut Knoll property were moved to the new campus in 1997. Shortly after the move, the board voted to change its legal name to Glenmeadow to coincide with the name being used by the developer of the property.
Continuing care retirement communities are now referred to as life plan communities, responding to the needs of the aging population with new opportunities for care, plus creative, educational and personal exploration. Glenmeadow offerings, which include everything from senior living options and handyman services to personal care and travel programs, are provided at its Longmeadow campus and across the region through Glenmeadow at Home. Glenmeadow strives to fulfill its mission of nurturing the whole person in mind, body and spirit.
