KGET and Adventist Health want to honor those in our community who make it a better place to live.
November is National Caregiver’s Appreciation Month, and caring with someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s can be difficult, especially if they’re a loved one.
One local facility is giving those loved ones a place to have some fun, and giving caregivers a respite.
The Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Kern County is much more than an adult daycare.
It gives caregivers the time they need to breathe and the resources they need to support one another.
“You don’t think when you retire that this is going to be your occupation to take care of your parent,” said the caretaker Jayne Mervau.
“With November being National Caregivers Month, it always hits home for me,” said Janelle Capra, Executive Director of ADAKC. “It’s one of those things that until you serve in this world, you never quite understand it.”
“We’re having to do everything for my mom day in and day out and that’s very difficult,” said caregiver Joyce Morentin. “Coming to the ADAKC has been a huge, huge lifeline.”
“My mom absolutely loves this place,” said caregiver Karolyne Lebrecque. “As confused as she is, on weekends after her showers she keeps ‘asking are we going to go to school?’.
“All paths are different but in the end they’re very similar so seeking that support from the support groups has been a godsend,” said Morentin.
The ADAKC is located at 4203 Buena Vista Road is open Monday through Friday, 7am-5pm.