Adult Services Case Manager shares residents’ summer adventures

Case Manager/Vocational Counselor Debra Anderson has worked at Latham Centers for just four months, but in that short time she has become a valued member of our Adult Services team.  Here, Debra shares some of the summer memories she helped create for the adults at Latham Centers’ Peter Cooper residence:

As summer winds down, I would like to share with the rest of the Latham Community the experiences that our residents have enjoyed all summer.

We kicked off Memorial Day Weekend with a visit to the National Cemetery at Otis Air Force Base to see all 68,000 flags placed on the veterans’ gravesites.  We walked the Memorial Trail and read the history from World War I to the present day.  Sharing this experience with our residents inspired me to give them other opportunities within the local community.  And what better way to do this than… FREE FUN FRIDAY!

Free Fun Friday is a program funded by the Highland Street Foundation offering free admission to over 85 museums and cultural events.  The residents were thrilled to take part in this.  As Case Manager, I would choose a place of interest each week based on location and educational value. On Monday, a sign-up sheet would be posted with a description of the Friday event. All who participated would have to be chore, exercise, and hygiene compliant, with no behavioral issues for the week.

These are the places we enjoyed: The New Bedford Whaling Museum; the Hall at Patriot Place; the Edward Gorey House; the Sandwich Glass Museum; and the Cape Cod Maritime Museum.

We learned quickly that getting there before the crowds is key. We also were impressed by the many volunteers at each of these locations. They were all incredibly kind and informative to our group. We made sure that after every outing, a thank you note was sent expressing our appreciation and what meant the most to the group during our visit.

Our favorite overall outing was the Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth. Our residents participated in a scavenger hunt from all of Mr. Gorey’s collections. We are all looking forward to our next outing! Where will it be? “All hands hoay!”

Residential Manager Patricia Morgan praised Debra for her dedication.  “Deb worked really hard this summer and the staff and adult residents truly appreciate her efforts in making our community outings memorable, educational, and fun.”

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