Wise Counsel for Caregivers
Not all of the services provided by The Little Red House take place here at the house. On Thursday mornings—a block to our west, in a sunny, comfortable lounge at Christ Community Church—Jim Powers, ACSW offers a listening ear and seasoned advice to anyone in the community who is caring for a friend or loved one with physical, cognitive, or psychosocial limitations.
The Caregiver Support Group meets at 11:00 a.m. every Thursday and is open to all, regardless of whether they have a participant at The Little Red House. And, to make it even easier on caregivers, The Little Red House will provide complimentary care for a friend or relative during that time on a space available basis. This service is made possible through a grant from Senior Resources of Muskegon.
Jim Powers earned his master’s degree in social work from Michigan State University and has practiced counseling and social work in clinical outpatient settings since 1976. He has been working with The Little Red House since 2006.
“There’s a story that each person has to tell,” says Jim. And he is there to listen to their stories and help them find ways to alleviate the stress of caregiving. “Most people need guidance with such issues as isolation and depression” that often accompany the burdens of caregiving, he offers. He also makes caregivers aware of all local resources and how to access them. (From 2000-2005, Jim worked as a clinical social work therapist with Veterans Affairs, so he is especially helpful in guiding people through the qualification process for Veterans’ benefits. Once approved, Veterans receive up to six hours of care at The Little Red House, three days a week, plus transportation and
personal care services.)
The support group helps caregivers connect with each other, which often leads to friendships and greater community support. “Particularly with the disease process of Alzheimer’s and senile dementia, I can help caregivers understand what is taking place, what to expect, and how to respond.”
Jim does not limit his services to the support group schedule. He is available anytime by telephone to speak with caregivers and work through problems and issues. For more information about Little Red House caregiver support group services, call 846-5720.
Caregiver Corner “Dad could never be left home alone.”
Sue Strait, of Spring Lake, received a phone call in 2005 that every adult child of an elderly parent dreads. It was from the fire department. They had responded to a report of a gas leak in her father’s house, and they were calling to recommend that her dad no longer live alone. Sue knew it was time to make a radical change in her life—and her father’s.
Sue, her husband Larry and teenage son Anthony made room in their lives and home for her father, George Barber, 81. Anthony enjoyed the time with his grandfather. They had not been able to spend that kind of time together since he was a baby and Grandpa had cared for him while Sue worked.
But there were hardships, too. Anthony played on the varsity baseball team and, while George loved to attend the games, he could not manage staying for the whole game, so either Sue or Larry would have to leave before the game was over to take Dad home. They also could never attend meetings, award banquets, or other activities together because Dad could not be left home alone. Caregiving was becoming a full-time job for Sue . . . until she contacted The Little Red House.
“I was not ready to put him in a facility full time,” she offered. “When I visited The Little Red House and spoke with Chris [Schuh, RN, nursing director] it just felt right. And then I saw the pool table, and that clinched it for me.”
Now George enjoys pool and other games on the days he spends at The Little Red House. It wasn’t a hard sell, according to Sue. “I just told him he was ‘going to school,’ and he loves it,” she said, adding, “He’s more talkative, and he’s even recovering some of his memory of things he did in the past. They make it come alive for him. I am grateful they are there for him, and for us.”
Mission Statement
To provide adult day care services
in a welcoming, home-like environment
that offers genuine and caring engagement.
Contact Information
311 E. Exchange St
Spring Lake, MI 49456
(616) 846-5720 Click Here To Contact Us
Serving northern Ottawa and southern Muskegon Counties since 2000.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation
and a United Way Community Partner.
