The Société Alzheimer Society Sudbury-Manitoulin’s new Sponsor a Senior program began with a simple question.

One member of a visiting delegation from the IODE Elizabeth Fry Chapter asked if everyone could afford the $17 a day fee to attend the Alzheimer Society’s adult day program for those with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. The answer was no.

“We suggested that perhaps we could sponsor a senior,” Lynne Scarsellone, president of the Elizabeth Fry Chapter of the IODE, a women’s service club, said.

“We sponsored a senior (in the adult day program) last year for one day a week for a full year. Then we decided that because it’s such a good program, we’re going to sponsor another senior this year, and make it a yearly sponsor program.”

After receiving the IODE’s support, the Alzheimer society decided to see if any other organizations were interested in sponsoring adult day program participants.

Steelworkers Local 6500 stepped up to the plate.

“It’s our membership’s money, whenever we sponsor anything,” Scott Duncan, past vice-president of the union, said.

Photo by Heidi Ulrichsen

t was passed overwhelmingly at the membership meeting when it was explained that it was for seniors. A lot of these people (using the adult day program) have been part of making the city what it is. A lot of them have worked at Inco and Falconbridge, and have brought up their families here.”

Duncan said although his union is currently embroiled in a nearly year-long labour dispute with Vale, it still has some funds to spend on charitable causes.

“Our strike pay comes out of a fund (from Steelworkers international) in Pittsburgh,” he said.

“We still have our own operating funds. They’re getting a little low, but this is a very important cause. There’s a good chance we’ll up our donation when we get back to work.”

Patricia Montpetit, executive director of the Société Alzheimer Society Sudbury-Manitoulin, said she hopes other organizations, businesses or individuals will also sponsor participants in the adult day program.

The cost of enrolling one person in the program for one day a week for a full year is $850.

“A lot of seniors are on very fixed incomes, and they may still be paying for houses or living in small apartments,” Montpetit said.

“Nobody plans to have dementia. Nobody puts aside money so that when they’re old and they have dementia, they can go to a day program. That would be the last thing they’re planning for.”

Montpetit said the adult day program, which can accommodate up to 20 people a day, provides care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in a safe environment.

Some participants only come one day a week, while others come three or four days a week. They play games, do crafts, exercise and eat a homemade lunch.

The adult day program is held in a specially-built, secure facility at the organization’s location behind Pioneer Manor. “For their families, it provides respite care for the caregiver,” Montpetit said.

“They can have a little time for themselves. It’s a very exhausting to spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take care of somebody with dementia.”

For more information about the Sponsor a Senior program or other programs run by the Société Alzheimer Society Sudbury-Manitoulin, phone 560-0603 or e-mail pmontpetit@alzheimersociety.ca