STE. GENEVIEVE – Ste. Genevieve Mayor Brian Keim last week recognized St. Elizabeth’s Adult Day Care Center in Ste. Genevieve for is service to the community during National Adult Day Services week.
Since 1981, St. Elizabeth’s has been serving area families. Its services allow caregivers to work, run errands, or get a break during the weekdays. The five nurse-managed centers provide protective oversight and engagement to adults 18 years and older. Fellowship, activities, made-from-scratch meals, exercise, and outings are part of a participant’s day.
St. Elizabeth’s is contracted through the Veteran’s Administration, Medicaid, the Department of Mental Health, and Aging Matters as well as other agencies. Private Pay options are also available.
When Sister John Antonio started the nonprofit, its services were on the leading edge of a significant development in healthcare. A growing number of older adults were facing the prospect of moving to long-term care communities so their family caregivers could work. In addition, many younger adults 18 and older were “aging out” of other care programs but their family members still needed to work. The organization flourished and its founder was recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association as “the person who put adult day care on the map in St. Louis.”
Today the nonprofit has five centers, four in Metro St. Louis and one in Ste. Genevieve which opened in 2007. This allows them to make a positive difference in the quality of lives of hundreds of area families.
St. Elizabeth’s Adult Day Care Centers is in the process of expanding its mission, and rebuilding participant census post pandemic. The organization will be providing additional support for the caregivers and communities through a speakers’ program, family respite outside of center hours, support groups and more.