Exhale grant to supply family caregivers with respite programs

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — The Bloomfield Township Senior Center is once again expanding its services, this time to provide extra support for caregivers thanks to a grant.

Christine Tvaroha, the director of senior services at the Bloomfield Township Senior Center, said the center is receiving a boost with a grant from Exhale – The Family Caregiver Initiative.

The three-year $90,000 grant for the Bloomfield Township Senior Center, she said, not only affects seniors in the community, but their primary caregivers of all ages.

“When caregivers are asked about the help they need most, they consistently rank respite among their top priorities. Increasing opportunities for caregivers to take a break will improve their – and their loved ones’ – quality of life, and also benefit their loved ones,” Neel Hajra, chief executive officer of the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, said in a statement.

In southeast Michigan, Exhale is made possible by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.

A portion of the senior center’s grant provides funding for the complementary Caregiver Connect program, held the third Thursday of the month from 11a.m.-2 p.m.

Caregiver Connect, Tvaroha explained, is a caregiver-guided program that offers a meal, respite, information and other activities while a care receiver attends adult day services for free courtesy of the center’s Friendship Club, which recently reopened. The next session will be held Feb. 20.

“We are providing adult day service for their loved ones to be in Friendship Club, so they know they are right in the same building and going to be highly engaged and having a great experience, while they themselves take a breath — thus a reason the initiative is called Exhale,” she said. “It’s a moment to breathe while their care receiver is in the Friendship Club.”

The Friendship Club offers safe programming for older adults experiencing dementia or memory challenges, enabling families to keep their loved ones at home by providing much-needed respite.

“It gives the person with dementia another opportunity to be involved with people other than the family,” said Sandy Mackle, whose husband participates in the Friendship Club.

“My children, at first, did not think — because of his personality, which was very strong before dementia — he would accept it or be happy doing it. But I’ve found that he has totally enjoyed the group. People with dementia have a past life and interests and abilities that come out there.”

And for Mackle, it’s a much needed break from caregiving, where she can focus on her needs.

“It’s a little respite from constantly being with a person with dementia,” she said.

Those interested in learning more about the Friendship Club can attend an open house from 1-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Exhale funding also allows Bloomfield Township caregivers and receivers to participate together in the senior center’s Companion Café for free for the next three years.

The program, which provides events for individuals who are memory challenged and their caregivers, was spearheaded by the senior center last year, thanks to funding from the Bloomfield Hills Rotary Club.

Held the first Wednesday of each month from 1-3 p.m., care partners — both the receiver and the giver of care — work together on something creative and social in a supportive setting during Companion Cafe.

“It’s a relaxed, enjoyable leisure afternoon, maybe filled with music and social connection, games or crafts, or even a little deep breathing or seated exercise,” said Tvaroha. “There’s nice camaraderie between caregivers, but also it’s just a relaxed time for people to really connect and enjoy each other’s company and doing activities together.”

The free Companion Cafe program is open to Bloomfield Township caregivers, with advanced registration required by calling (248) 723-3500. The next session will be held March 5.

The Bloomfield Township Senior Center is located at 315 Andover Road in Bloomfield Township. To learn more about the senior center’s supportive services, call (248) 723-3500.