Easterseals’ Memory Care Program Brings Joy to Seniors, Relief to Caregivers

When 91-year-old Shirley Pienta was diagnosed with dementia, her husband and daughters were shocked. After the diagnosis, Shirley became withdrawn and no longer wanted to be active in the community. Shirley’s daughter, Patti Jo Johnson, found the Easterseals Adult Day program for her mom and has watched the joy return to Shirley’s life.

“My mom gets off the bus smiling every day. Before she was at Easterseals, she just sat in her recliner. This program is so good for her. Ever since she started going, she has been more into things. It has changed her mindset,” Patti Jo says. “The staff has been wonderful. They love my mother.” 

National Family Caregiver Month is celebrated in November each year; however, Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore supports families year-round. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, there are more than 63 million unpaid family caregivers in the U.S. One of the greatest needs of these caregivers is information about services and programs in their community that may be helpful to them as caregivers for children or adults with disabilities, chronic or terminal illness, or the elderly.

Caring for a spouse or elderly parent can be overwhelming, and even more so if they are going through the stages of Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia. The need for adult day services in Delaware is growing as the state's population ages. According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, more than one in five Delaware residents (21.3%) are age 65 or older—well above the national average of 17.7%. 

To meet this growing need, the Easterseals Adult Day Care Program in New Castle, Smyrna, and Georgetown designated additional program space to provide center-based day services for adults with all forms of dementia, particularly those with early- and mid-stage Alzheimer’s. 

Patti Jo and her sister are in their 70s, and their father is 94. The Easterseals program, which Shirley attends three days a week, provides meaningful benefits not only for her mental well-being but also for her family members, who serve as her full-time caregivers. 

“It would be a lot on us. It is a lot already, but it would be too much. We are lucky to have her as part of this program,” Patti Jo says. “Without Easterseals, her life would be nothing. We didn’t think she would still be here, but thanks to Easterseals, she is here.”

Easterseals’ Memory Care Program offers a safe, engaging place for older adults with memory loss to spend the day, enjoying activities, meals, and compassionate support from trained staff. Just as importantly, it gives family caregivers time to rest, run errands, attend appointments, or simply recharge, knowing their loved one is well cared for.

In addition to Memory Care services, Easterseals provides a range of services designed to support seniors and their caregivers,  including personal attendant services, respite care, and outreach programs that offer education, resources, and access to assistive technology. Find out more about the services below.