It was party time at The Perfect Place on Friday afternoon, May 11, as we held our annual Centennial Birthday Bash. This year’s guests of honor were Sarah Getty, celebrating her 100th birthday, and Jean Arthur, celebrating her 101st birthday. The Perfect Place, an adult daycare facility, knows how to throw a party! The party began…
Alice Baldwin Our September focus group hosted five students from Forte College in the Phoenix area who demonstrated the health benefits provided by updated dental products and modern dental hygiene. Working with an older population presents specific challenges when addressing brushing teeth with and without adaptive equipment, dry mouth syndrome and denture care. This presentation…
What is Dementia? This was the topic of discussion at the Perfect Place Saturday morning, May 29. Debra Dyjak, representing the Arizona Center on Aging, engaged our group with research, anecdotes and group participation. We left with a greater knowledge of the many types of dementia, strategies useful for volunteers and support techniques to help…
Jennifer Jenkins loves the Perfect Place. She loves the games, especially Yahtzee, and she thinks the staff is wonderful. She has a great laugh, and we all laugh with her. Jennifer is a very special girl; blind since birth, she leads the daily devotional reading from a Braille Bible. Educated in a preschool program at…
The incredible volunteers at Perfect Place were honored this week with an English/Irish tea at the beautiful home of Carol Pogatchnik. Carol and staff members created an aura of a high tea for all of us volunteers. We were treated to scones with clotted cream, tea sandwiches, fruit kabobs and then presented with a dessert…
Merry Christmas to us! To our surprise and delight it was discovered in early December that we have a skilled pianist among us. Sara Getty revealed her hidden talent just in time for Christmas carols. Now you may not be impressed but Sara is 91 years young and appears enchanted when her fingers touch the…
Hospice of the Valley recently held a seminar concerning dementia at the Sun Lakes United Methodist Church. Volunteers from Perfect Place were there as were members of the congregation and other residents of Sun Lakes. The participants came away enlightened, enthusiastic and appreciative of the information they were given. Perfect Place volunteers receive training periodically…
Neighbors Who Care, The Perfect Place, Alzheimer’s Association, Palo Verde Management, a teaching artist and a caregiver make up this new coalition. The coalition was initiated by Wayne Mangold, a Sun Lakes resident. Wayne’s wife, Hanne, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2011. For several years, the Mangolds have been driving to Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa…
It has been a hot summer and we have been challenged to find different activities inside. One of our participants has found just the thing. She has started doing jigsaw puzzles with the volunteers and other participants. She has the opportunity to select her own activity which she can do alone or with others. It…
Our participants are used to entertainers and visitors but not the furry four-legged variety. We all had quite a surprise when in popped three therapy dogs and their owners. Each dog spent time with the individual participant being held and petted. And then the fun started. The dogs played together while interacting with each of…