How Concordia’s Adult Day Services Make a Difference

Concordia at Cabot’s Adult Day Services began operations in 2000, so we’re celebrating our 25th year of providing excellent care in 2025! This meaningful part of our mission benefits our clients, their caregivers and our own team in many ways.

Personalized Care

Open to anyone with physical limitations or diminished reasoning skills, our Adult Day Services provide consistent or respite care during the day that can be tailored to every individual’s needs and preferences.

“We offer so much more than what most people expect,” said Melanie Hartman, director of Adult Day Services. “Not only do we offer activities, games, arts and crafts for our clients, but we make detailed care plans for everyone. This includes, but is not limited to, physical, occupational and speech therapy; special dietary plans that accommodate for medical needs and preferences; memory care programming; and hygiene and incontinence care.”

The many senior activities and events that the team creates are not limited either, and they help to engage their clients.

“We watch films, do exercises together, have spiritual care visits, complete simple volunteer projects, celebrate holidays together – really anything our clients are interested in doing,” Melanie said. “We make a big deal out of birthdays because we love to make everyone feel special and make every minute count for all of our clients all of the time.”

Related: 5 Signs Your Senior Loved One May Need Memory Care

Adult Day Services offers flexible scheduling, with some clients attending every weekday and some only for occasional respite visits. Because of the variety of schedules, there’s usually about 10 to 20 clients on any given day. The small group size allows everyone to get to know each other in a comfortable environment.

A Perfect Fit

“This adult day care has been excellent for my dad since he started going in 2021,” said caregiver Michelle McNair. “He’s loved it from the first day he went, and he gets so much out of it.”

Michelle’s father, Kenneth “Butch” Watson, started attending the program after his wife, who had been his primary caregiver, passed away unexpectedly. Michelle and her family compared local adult day options and chose Concordia at Cabot, which is a 30-minute drive from her house.

“It’s a little far out of the way for us, but it’s worth it,” Michelle said. “My sister and I are never worried that he’s not being treated right or that he’s bored. He can’t communicate as well as he used to due to his dementia, but when he started going to Concordia, he always told us how much he enjoyed it and liked the people. We know he still does.”

Related: Caring for Your Brain and the Pros to Memory Care

This peace of mind is one of the many benefits of adult day services for Michelle.

“If my dad didn’t go to Concordia, I wouldn’t be able to work,” she said. “It enables me to do my job and not have to consider moving my dad to a nursing facility.”

Like Family

Michelle and her family are also consistently impressed with the staff at Concordia.

“They’re all equally great in caring for my dad,” she said. “They build long-lasting bonds with all their clients.”

These bonds were on full display in 2022 when Butch broke his hip.

“He needed skilled nursing while it healed, and he was able to get that care at Concordia,” Michelle said. “I was so touched that, while he was there, every staff person from Adult Day Services came to visit him and check in. They’re such a caring, hardworking group of people.”

The clients also have a meaningful impact on Melanie and her staff.

“Once we had a client near the end of her life, and our whole team went to her home to say goodbye,” Melanie said. “It’s never easy, but we were happy we got to see her together. She passed shortly after we left. We learned from the family later that she had been waiting to tell her ‘friends’ goodbye, and we were so touched to learn that she referred to us as her friends. She was our friend, too.”

Supporting Caregivers

In addition to the high-quality care provided to their clients, Adult Day Services also offers caregiver support in unexpected ways.

Related: How Adult Day Services Supports Family Caregivers

“We love to see many families getting to enjoy things that they thought they would no longer get to do while being a caregiver,” Melanie said. “Respite care is so beneficial in that way for everyone involved. The client is happy and engaged, and the caregiver’s quality of life can also improve as they can take time for themselves. When they do that, there’s less risk of caregiver burnout.”

The program also holds a caregiver support group, which meets the second Tuesday of each month. Specialists on specific issues are available for consultation as well, so there is always help if a family needs additional guidance.

“The support group helps caregivers know they aren’t alone,” Melanie said. “I’ve worked in the healthcare field for over 21 years, and I’ve learned that you have to get to know each client to see what works for each individual. We’re a resource for support, ideas and tips for other caregivers to help them find what works for their loved ones, too.”

The support that has been offered to caregivers like Michelle over the last 25 years is priceless.

“I just can’t say enough good things about Adult Day Services,” Michelle said. “It’s been a blessing to have these amazing people help care for my dad.”

For 25 years, Concordia’s Adult Day Services program has been a trusted source of compassionate care, enriching the lives of seniors and providing invaluable support to their families. As we celebrate this milestone, our commitment to offering high-quality, personalized care remains stronger than ever. If you’re looking for a safe, engaging and supportive environment for your loved one—or if you’d like to join our caregiver support group—visit the Adult Day Services page or call 724-352-1571, ext. 8271. You can also message us through our online contact form.

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Founded in 1881, Concordia Lutheran Ministries is a faith-based, CARF-accredited Aging Services Network and recipient of the inaugural Pennsylvania Department of Aging Excellence in Quality Care Award. As one of the largest nonprofit senior care providers in the country, the organization serves 50,000 people annually through in-home care and inpatient locations.