Clinton News-Record, 1987-10-14, Page 27Page 2
Staff at the Huron Day Centre For The Homebound includes: (left), Joan Spit-
tal, chairperson of the board; Rosemary Armstrong, director; Nancy Wise, ac-
tivities co-ordinator; Sandra Davidson, activities co-ordinator; Nancy Anstett,
co-ordinator of volunteers; Lois Fitzgerald, co-ordinator of volunteers; Lynn
Hildebrand, cook. Absent from the photo was Anne Marie Gornall, cook. (Anne
Narejko photo)
A unique
It is not unusual to find an active Day
Care Centre for the homebound in a
bustling city. It is, however, surprising
to discover one in a pastoral setting in a
rural community. A case in point is
Huron Day Centre for the Homebound,
located at Huronview in Clinton.
Rosemary Armstrong, Co-ordinator
of the Centre, stated that in Huron
County 15 percent of the people are over
65 years of age. This percentage is
higher than in most of the communities
in Ontario, possibly because many peo-
ple retire to Huron County — some
because they grew up there and want to
retire "back home", others because
they winterize their cottage or summer
home on the shores of Lake Huron and
retire there.
An ardent proponent for the Centre
was a Public Health Nurse who visited
many of the elderly in their homes. She
found that when they became frail and
needed support services many did not
want to be institutionalized. Yet the
Home Care program did not meet their
psychological needs and many were
lonely and became depressed.
A committee was formed which in-
cluded the Public Health Nurse, as well
as the VON, a representative from
Home Care, a doctor, someone from the
setting for a day centre
Psychiatric Department at the
Goderich hospital, and other interested
citizens. Together they developed a
philosophy which aimed "to provide a
viable alternative to institutionalization
by meeting the social, physical and
educational needs of homebound per-
sons where health and mental well-
being are affected by loneliness and
lack of social and moral support."
In 1977 the Huron Day Centre for the
Homebound opened at Huronview in
Clinton. Chester Archibald, ad-
ministrator at that time, was on the
steering committee and thought it was
a good idea to locate it at Huronview,
which would then become a central
area for services for seniors. Mr.
Wayne Lester, currently the ad-
ministrator at Huronview, is also a
staunch supporter of the project and
has authorized the assistant ad-
ministrator, to assume the duties of
financial officer for the Day Care Cen-
tre as a part of his duties at Huronview.
The Centre is open four days a week,
with Tuesday being set aside for the co-
ordinator to visit and assess the needs
of the elderly as well as younger han-
dicapped persons who have been refer-
red to her.
The program includes crafts, games,
discussion groups, cards, ceramics,
slides, special speakers, sing -songs and
shuffleboard in the Centre, as well as
trips away from the Centre for bowling,
swimming and trips to the theatre.
Other very important activities are
those related to health care, such as ex-
ercises, foot care, whirlpool baths, hair
Turn to page 3
Cover
photo
The Huron Day Centre For The Home-
bound has provided an opportunity for
people in Huron County who are home-
bound by reason of age and?or disabili-
ty who wish to retain the independence
of their own homes as an alternative to
institutional care. Clients are invited to
participate in exercises, crafts and a
great number of other activities. Two of
the ladies who were taking part in the
craft activities in September are
featured on the front page of this
special edition. They are Mrytle Barker
and Mabel Hawkins. (Anne Narejko
photo)