Clarendon hosts first caregivers respite program at Historical Society Museum

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Several seniors attended opening day of a respite program at the Clarendon Historical Society Museum on Thursday. Enjoying lunch are two seniors, Bud and Buelah. Kate Cudzillo, left, and Dana Jessmer (talking with Samantha Koons from the Orleans County Office for the Aging, were on hand for the first day of respite at the Clarendon program. Koons is in charge of the respite program at the OFA in Albion. Enjoying lunch in the rear is Allan Kropf of Medina.

CLARENDON – The Clarendon Historical Society Museum has taken on a new role as home to a respite program the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

Opening day was Thursday and several seniors were brought to the program to enjoy lunch, games and camaraderie.

Respite programs became a reality in Orleans County nearly two years ago when Matt Holland, who was then a grant writer hired by United Way of Orleans County, wrote a $290,000 grant in cooperation with Community Action. Holland received input from Nyla Gaylord, also a grant writer and currently director of United Way of Orleans County.

After being funded, the program was slow to get up and running, due to difficulty in finding help to run it. Gaylord, however, was able to get the three-year grant extended a year and Dana Jessmer was hired as project coordinator.

Currently, Kate Cudzillo is coordinator of the Clarendon respite site, while Samantha Koons runs a similar program, funded by the Alzheimer’s Association, at the Albion Nutrifaire site at 16 East Academy St.

(Left) Stephanie Koons helps a senior named Buelah do a word search puzzle on the first day of a respite program at the Clarendon Historical Society Museum. (Right) Kate Cudzilo, right, welcomes Cindy Gregoire and her daughter Cathy to the opening day of a respite program at the Clarendon Historical Society Museum on Thursday. Cindy’s son Tim, a contractor, built the building which houses the respite program.

Cathy Gregoire brought her mother, Cindy, who wanted to get out and meet people.

Several more people came in the afternoon, including Grace Kent, who volunteered to help.

“Everyone had a great time,” Gaylord said. “It was a success and more people from the Clarendon/Holley area are being encouraged to come by with friends and relatives. The word is getting out.”

She said the Holley school district will be sending students to help. Volunteers and guests are always welcome, Gaylord added.

“At the end, a caregiver told me how lonely and isolated she felt and how much the respite benefitted them both,” Gaylord said. “That is exactly why the program is in Clarendon – to provide a setting where both caregivers and their loved ones can get support and re-establish social connections in their community. I think of it as a community living room.”

Nyla Gaylord, left, director of United Way of Orleans County, who helped write the grant which financed the respite program, chats with Cathy and Cindy Gregoire and Samantha Koons at right.

Several other sites originally offered respite, but didn’t pan out. Christ Episcopal Church at 26 South Main St. in Albion and the Clarendon Historical Society will serve as the respite sites. Caregivers are encouraged to take advantage of one or several of these sites to provide much needed respite for themselves and meaningful activity for their loved one.

Another respite site at the Nutrifaire site at 16 East Academy St., Albion, is for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia and is funded by the Alzheimer’s Association. It takes place the first and third Wednesday of the month, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It includes exercise, crafts, games and a nutritional lunch for the loved one, at no charge, but caregivers must pre-register by Monday of the date they plan to attend by calling Koons at 589-2863.

Respite at the Christ Episcopal Church is the first and third Thursdays of the month, from 1 to 4 p.m. Only the Park Street entrance should be used.

At the Clarendon Historical Society, their respite program is available from 1 to 4 p.m. the second and fourth Thursdays. They are located at 16426 Fourth Section Rd. (Route 31A), Clarendon.

All respite sites are free to Orleans County residents.

Those wishing more information on respite sites or wanting to volunteer should call (585) 209-9151 or (585) 209-3416; or e-mail Caregiversrevitalize@gmail.com.