CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 51 Their Mission is to Help Older Adults "Maintain Their Independence at Home" Lisa Hughes, assistant executive director for the Cumberland County Council on Older Adults, said the nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping senior citi- zens in the community maintain their independence at home with dignity through a variety of free services. "What most people do not know about the council is that Meals on Wheels is one of only five major program services that we provide in the community at no cost to our seniors," Hughes said. "Three of the more recent additions to our program- ming, made possible through grants from the Cumberland Community Foun- dation, are our Caregiver Support program, Community Caregiving and, most recently, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Community Support. "Our county is on the cutting edge with these services," she said, "and as a result, our virtual classes include folks from other counties and states who do not have access to anything similar." The Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Community Support Program focuses both on older adults with who memory loss as well as those who serve as their caregivers. Among the new services the council will offer through an organization called Music & Memory. The nonprofit helps those with cognitive and physical difficulties engage with the world through songs and music that have been meaningful throughout their lives. "They've seen some really good success," Hughes said, adding that the kits will soon be available locally. "Studies have shown that connecting with music de- creases agitation, improves mood, nutrition, sleep and leads to a decreased use of pain meds." Another innovative program, Joy for All, involves the use of robotic "animatronic" animals that are designed to "increase social engagement, decrease loneliness, and provide a better quality of life" for those with cognitive and physical disabili- ties. "They have three different cats and two dogs," Hughes said. "They're really, really neat. It's all about encouraging interaction and bringing a little more spark to their lives. It can help increase that interaction with others." Hughes said that whether her organization is asked to help through delivering nu- tritious meals, help with yard work, a comforting conversation, a wheelchair ramp or with a furry robotic pet, it all goes toward the same goal. "The most important thing is that routine and that familiarity," she said. "Their home is something they worked hard for. It's where they raised their children and where they have their memories. If we're able to provide support to keep them in their home, that's fantastic." For more information, go to cccooa.org or call 910-484-0111. in the Army. Griffith said she and her siblings, with help from friends, family and neighbors, completely remodeled her parents' Fayetteville home to make the transition as easy as possible. "ey were moving out of their dream house," Griffith said. "For them to leave that house was hard. I wanted them to be able to come into this house and feel like they were in the log cabin." 800•894•1761 www.nextdayaccess.com dlong@nextdayaccess.com • Ramps (purchase & rental) • Grab Bars • Vertical Platform Lifts • Pool Lifts • Stair Lifts • Ceiling Lifts • Handrails • Bathroom Safety • Door Widenings • Safety Home Automation Stay in Your Home Longer & Safer Fayetteville's Certified Accessibility Specialist Cumberland County Council on Older Adults is likely best known for its Meals on Wheels program, which delivers meals to over 400 seniors each day and was one of only a few that did not suspend deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's easily apparent that love and happiness endure long aer the cardboard boxes and bubble wrap is gone. From Abby the chubby rescue beagle to the rock garden outside, where each family member has a stone named in their honor, the comforts of home are obvious. New pieces of furniture share space with family treasures. Wooden hearts hanging on a wall are inscribed with each family member's birthday. And one of the best pieces? at would be the big wooden sign that hangs over the Bergs' favorite pair of easy chairs. It reads: "e Best is Yet to Come."

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