Dear Friends,

We are licensed and accepting new clients to our adult day center as of December 1, 2021!

Now, more than ever, we are aware of the need for alternatives to full time home care or assisted living facilities for older adults who need help with independent living. Please call 505-418-1300 to inquire about our service or email director@lifecirclenm.org. We are looking forward to providing this much needed service to our elderly community.

Sincerely,

Michael Munson

President, Board of Directors

December 21, 2021

A safe space for those needing memory care

Excerpted from an article in the Santa Fe New Mexican.

For the full article, please see: https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/a-safe-space-for-those-needing-memory-care/article_b8c0c798-5399-11ec-bc7a-07dbc9f7ddae.html

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........Life Circle New Mexico is looking to provide a designated, daytime place for people with dementia to go in Santa Fe — and an opportunity for their caregivers to unwind. The organization has 30 spots and offers full-day care for aging adults at a rate of $118 per day, with sliding scale options available for clients based on availability and financial need. The center will operate more like a preschool with a set schedule. The aim, is to keep a consistent day-to-day schedule to promote better cognitive health, while offering slight variations in programming to keep people stimulated. “Repetition with a twist of novelty,”

........In addition to art projects and exercise, such as “chair yoga” to promote core strength and help prevent falls, the Director wants to make music and dancing a strong part of clients’ day-to-day life. She’s ready with instruments. “One of the things that’s near and dear to my heart is music,” she said. “One of the last things for people to be able to participate in is music.”

........A major goal of the center, according to board member Cindy Rinaldi — a licensed clinical social worker with gerontology training — will be the free time it provides others. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates there are 108,000 unpaid family members caring for people with Alzheimer’s or another kind of dementia in New Mexico. Many of them, Rinaldi said, aren’t fully aware of how the diseases work or where to find resources to help. Others, she said, are part of the “sandwich generation” attempting to care for children and aging parents at the same time.

-------Prospective clients will go through an intake process to assess their physical and mental health along with cognitive ability. Those with severe dementia or Alzheimer’s may not be eligible for the setting, Blea said. 'People don’t realize how much they need something, sometimes, until they have it,'’ said activities director Lea VanMerkestyn of the center. 'I think we are going to have a huge waiting list.'