Discover Goodwill’s “Voyages” Adult Day Program

Discover Goodwill’s “Voyages” Adult Day Program

By Bradd Hafer, Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado, Colorado Springs LIVING WELL Magazine

A booming senior population paired with increased time demands on the part of their families and care providers have created both challenges and opportunities for senior day program providers like Discover Goodwill’s “Voyages” program, formerly known as “Life at the Bluffs.” Recently, I sat down with our program’s certified nursing staff members and asked them to share their personal insights related to their daily interactions with our program participants, and our relocation to a new facility.

Interview with Voyages Nursing Assistants Carolyn and Tanya

Q: Goodwill’s newly-named Voyages program serves a wide spectrum of our aging population. From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges confronting seniors who participate in our program, along with their care providers?

Carolyn: Many of the individuals we serve struggle from a lack of social interaction. Spending time with others … whether family members, friends, social groups or peers … plays such a huge role in the physical and mental wellbeing of older adults. Isolation can be the worst enemy of seniors; they have the same need and desire for socialization as any other age group … perhaps more. Our participants also vary in terms of their overall health, physical mobility, mental state and other factors that require more individualized care and different levels of engagement.

For families and other care providers, the biggest challenge undoubtedly is striking a balance between the time invested in caring for their loved ones and managing the myriad of other obligations on a day-to-day basis. Caregivers routinely and strongly voice their desire to maintain the independence of their elder family members for as long as possible. They have seen the studies or experienced, first-hand, the hard reality of seniors surrendering their will to live when/if their independence is lost or quality life is compromised. Although nursing home care might be necessary at some point, many family members feel that sending their elder loved ones to a residential care facility when they still demonstrate a level of independence is equivalent to giving up on them.

Q: How does the Voyages program overcome these challenges and enhance the lives of program participants?

Carolyn: Voyages provides seniors the opportunity to make new friends and participate in a variety of daily group activities that exercise the body and mind, and satisfies their need and desire for social interaction. Whether pitching horseshoes in the park, creating crafts to share with family members, cooking up meals in the kitchen or spending a day at the spa, our program has something for everyone.

Tanya: Voyages’ participants and care providers also appreciate the longevity and specialty of our staff members, which includes two certified nursing assistants, an activities director, an assistant and a transportation coordinator. Voyages’ staff-to-participant ratio is one-to-four, which far surpasses required standards and allows us the opportunity to render more individualized care and attention to our guests, and address their unique needs and preferences. We have frequently been referred to as “family away from family” by our participants and their family members.

One of our most popular program offerings is our morning “In the News” sessions, where we highlight current event articles and participants take turns discussing them and sharing their individual perspectives. On other days, our guests enjoy visits from canine companions and miniature horses. These animals make a special connection with many of our program participants, along with providing therapeutic benefits and companionship. Voyages’ guests also enjoy seasonal outings to points of interest like Old Colorado City and the Farmers Market.

Q: Along with our name change to “Voyages,” program participants also are relocating to a new facility at Goodwill’s new Garden of the Gods campus. What additional benefits and amenities can our guests look forward to at this new facility?

Tanya: Our guests love the outdoors, and our new Garden of the Gods facility will offer even more opportunities for them to explore nature—including a walk-in garden at the entryway of Voyages. Our new facility also is adjacent to Goodwill’s new first-of-its-kind in the nation life skills program, called “Possibilities.” As next-door neighbors to Possibilities, Voyages guests will be able to participate in activities within Possibilities’ 14,000-square-foot, interactive town square. Our participants also like it when we eat out, and the Garden of the Gods corridor has an unlimited selection of traditional and unique dining establishments to choose from.