This is Richard and Dawn Martinez.  Richard was diagnosed with mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease about 1 ½ years ago and is a participant at Generations Ashe Adult Day Health Center.  They were looking for a program that would allow Richard to stay active, social and have a routine he could count on, and Generations Ashe fit the bill! He attends 2-3 days per week, for around 5-6 hours a day. 

Living in Trade Tennessee, Dawn and Richard drive an hour one way to get here.  After she drops Richard off, Dawn enjoys a time of respite.  She may go to the library, coffee shop, or catch up on errands.

In the meantime, Richard is enjoying familiar faces who make him feel safe and are happy to see him.  He told me about going for walks outside, playing indoor golf and corn hole, and his favorite, playing card games like Uno and Skip-Bo!  He has an especially fond memory of helping 2 children in the Generations Ashe Child Development Center color in a coloring book.  According to his wife, he felt very proud of being able to help them and talked about it for months!

When I asked Dawn what made this program stand out to her, she immediately said “the people that work here”.  She talked about how they are consistent, hardworking, and truly care about each participant and his/her unique needs.  They are not afraid to think outside the box and are never out of ideas to keep participants excited about coming.  Be it field trips to Grandfather Mountain, shopping excursions, musician visits with sing-a-longs, and even a visit from a pet monkey, they are constantly thinking of new ways to inspire and engage. She also talked about the flexibility of the program, and how she can bring him on a schedule that works for her and Richard. 

As I was speaking to the Martinez’s, I couldn’t help but notice the love and spirit of advocacy Dawn had for her husband, as well as the enthusiasm and pride she felt to be able to bring him to Generations Ashe Adult Day Health Center.  “Yes, the drive is tough”, she said, but she knows this is what he needs, and she is not afraid to embrace the challenge to give him this opportunity.  And that is what Generations Ashe is all about, connecting people, embracing challenges and enriching lives…from generation to generation.

-Jessica Mast
Executive Administrative Assistant at Generations Ashe