North Penn Adult Day Services

The director of North Penn Visiting Nurse Association Adult Day Center has worked here for over twenty years. She is extremely proud of the program, and her efforts and commitment to excellent care have not gone unnoticed. “I don’t like the weekends. I love it here!” exclaimed one participant when we asked what she liked to do on Saturday and Sunday. A family member of a second participant was eager to report, “If it wasn’t for North Penn, my mother would be in a nursing home.”The veteran staff members are loved and referred to as “angels” by many participants. Add a director who is always open to ideas and suggestions from staff on ways to improve the program, and you have a recipe for happy participants. The North Penn staff is very well trained. They receive formal orientation and mentoring, and must “shadow” experienced staff for at least a month prior to working. On our visit, we saw how pleasant, cooperative and encouraging staff was with participants. Activities like sing-alongs, shuffleboard, senior volleyball, word games, exercise, poetry readings, bible study and watching movies on the large flat-screen are offered every day. Other innovative programming includes animal therapy, a garden club, two field trips a month and regular musical entertainment. Regular visitors include a “folk family” that consists of three people who play the oboe, the piano and the guitar, respectively. Participants recently joined in a spelling bee with over 150 participants from other adult day care and retirement programs. Other programs like “America in the 1950s” and educational talks on topics such as hypertension round out the full activities schedule. A covered sitting area and a screened-in porch—both favorite spots for congregating—flank the entrance. Framed artwork and silk flowers arranged by participants are cheerful decorative additions. There are many cozy reclining chairs for participants who want to put their feet up, and several windows provide good natural light. Conference rooms, three bathrooms and an excellent kitchen are available as well. During our visit, we were delighted to learn of another staff-suggested program. They would like to hold an awards ceremony in which certain participants would be recognized for the unique or special gifts they possess—a personalized touch and yet another testament to the high level of care and the quality of the folks who work here.