By Mary Owen
Two years ago, Erin Wheeler-McKenzie opened the doors of her adult foster home in the Quail Run neighborhood of Stayton.
“We have five residents who my team cares for in a homelike residential community,” said Wheeler-McKenzie of Open Arms Adult Care, which offers 24-hour care for seniors and those with physical challenges.
With 18 years of experience in the medical field, Wheeler-McKenzie saw the need for more flexible caregiving. She knew respite care can prevent or postpone the need for a residential facility care.
“As my foster home specializes in memory care, we are expanding this with a day program, caring for individuals with many forms of dementia,” Wheeler-McKenzie said.
The new Open Arms Adult Day Care Program opened its doors at 112 E. Burnett St. , Stayton Oct. 18.
The program offers respite for caregivers, Wheeler-McKenzie said.
“This is a center that does care only during the day for respite relief,” she added. “We offer flexible hours from a partial to a full day two to five times a week” The center is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Meals include a continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. The meals are included in the daily fee.”
Participants must register and be pre-screened prior to attending sessions at the state-certified adult care center, Wheeler-McKenzie said.
“Benefits of the program include caregivers to assist with daily care needs, socialization, exercise of the mind and body with individually constructed programs,” she said. “Also participants are getting the ability to be more involved in the community with outings, specialized projects and hobbies.”
The move-in date for the day care center was Sept. 1, and prior to opening, the facility was updated with new floors, a kitchen addition, and paint. Now that the day care is in full swing, some participants are becoming “regulars.”
“I’ve been impressed with what Erin has to offer,” said Joni Lorenz. “My step-father resides at her adult foster care home, and has started going to her day care program a couple of days a week. He has dementia, but enjoys visiting and drinking coffee with other people. He really enjoys listening to music, and will whistle along. I think it’s working out well.”
Janet Dornhecker’s 95-year-old mother lives in the Open Arms foster home, a place Dornhecker calls “just wonderful!”
“If I had mom living at my home, and I wanted to go out, I wouldn’t be able to leave her alone,” she said. The new facility, she added, “would be a great, safe place for her to go.”
Wheeler-McKenzie lives in Sublimity, and has been a part of the Stayton/Sublimity community since 2007. Her husband grew up in the area, and they have six-year-old twin boys. She has worked as a certified nursing assistant, an emergency medical technician, an instructor, and a paramedic. She is still a paramedic but no longer works ambulance.
“You can leave your loved one with us knowing that our skilled and dedicated staff will care for them as they would their own family,” Wheeler-McKenzie said. “Although we specialize in memory care, we are not limited to those patients. ”
Open Arms can be reached at 503-769-3315, openarmsadultcare@outlook.com.
