Sharing Hearts offers elderly day care for caregivers of Alzheimer's and dementia patients

Sharing Hearts of Corinth comes in to give local families a much-needed reprieve.

Sharing Hearts, located inside of Corinth's First Baptist Church on Main Street, is a respite care program - a daycare for the elderly who suffer from conditions such as Alzheimer's, dementia and even Parkinson's disease. Through its group of dedicated volunteers, the ministry gives clients an opportunity to enjoy fellowship with their peers and a day out of the house.

By Sabrina Bates

As families trend to an at-home setting for their loved ones suffering from Alzhiemer's or dementia, a day off is sometimes non-existent. That's where

Sharing Hearts is open every Tuesday, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The day begins with a devotional and hymn singing, thanks to local ministers and song leaders. Coffee and snacks are a part of the morning routine. Clients are then treated to a friendly competition of balloon volleyball, which is described by director Lanell Coln, as a patient-favorite. On weather-permitting days, clients are treated to outdoor activities that may include a bean-bag toss in the warm sunshine.

Local volunteers prepare a homemade meal for every lunch. The afternoon at Sharing Hearts consists of games and an arts and crafts session for the clients before they are picked up by their caregivers. All of this is at no cost to the clients or their families, thanks to the 14 volunteers who help prepare meals and provide supplies. Coca-Cola Bottling Company provides drinks and water for the program.

"We started charging a small fee at first, but now that we have donations, we don't have to charge anything. There are so many people in the area who couldn't afford it if we charged for the program," Coln said.

Coln is no stranger to caring for the elderly during some of their most-debilitating times in life. She spent her career working with hospice patients. She came on board with Sharing Hearts in the program startup about 10 years ago. Coln received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and had to step away to face her toughest battle. After surgery, she was declared cancer-free and she returned to lead Sharing Hearts about three months ago.

"I'm very blessed to be able to be there," Coln said. She described the program as a day care for loved ones.

"It is to help families with loved ones with end-of-life conditions. It is fun for the clients and gets them out of the house once a week. I wanted to be a part of that," she added.

She spoke of one client - Charlie, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. His mind is not affected, but the condition has control of his body. She said he really enjoys balloon volleyball and gets excited when the balloon hits an opponent. Another has early signs of dementia, which isn't noticeable to others. Another client has signs of progressive Alzheimer's, but she still participates in weekly activities. Their family members chose the daycare for their loved ones to be able to get out of the house and be among their peers. It also allows the caregivers a day to shop for groceries, run errands, or just spend a day to themselves.

All of this while their loved ones are in the hands of a director who spent her adult life caring for others in their final days and a group of volunteers who enjoy giving back.

The program is accepting new clients. Anyone wanting to enroll their loved one into Sharing Hearts can reach out to Coln at 1-662-212-2303 or First Baptist Church at 1-662-286-2208. The program is always seeking volunteers and any donations related to elderly care are welcome. Find Sharing Hearts Adult Dementia Day Care, Corinth, MS on Facebook.

It takes a special soul who is willing to allow their loved ones to remain at home when they are faced with Alzheimer's and dementia. It also takes special souls in the "village" to help provide a say out for loved ones. Why do it alone when there are volunteers who have made it their mission in life to help others?

Several concerned citizens gathered with great enthusiasm at the Black History Museum on Saturday, April 20th, to resume the community clean-up project. Team Up to Clean Up was put on hold due to COV-19. The next clean-up days are scheduled for Saturday, May 20th, and June 24th, from 8 a.m. to noon. The scheduled clean-up days are a great opportunity for the community to come together and make a positive impact.

Reminder

LaKiesha

Due to COV-19, the community-wide revitalization project had to be put on hold, but we are excited that it will resume. Mark your calendar for the following Saturday community cleanup dates: May 20th, and June 24th.

We will meet at the Black History Museum on 1109 Meigg St. at 8 a.m. - noon. Please join us in this effort to "Make Corinth A Great Place To Live." Take pride in where you reside. For more information, please call Jerry W. Porter at (662) 643-6842.

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