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Adult Recreation Therapy Centre reopens in Paris
By Casandra Turnbull
A valuable program that offers many services to adults with compromised health has returned to Paris.
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The Adult Recreation Therapy Centre (ARTC) offers people, who are trying to maintain a level of independence, the opportunity to engage in meaningful social, recreational and therapeutic activities. An ARTC satellite program was housed at the Willett in Paris for close to 15 years but was closed in 2019 when the pandemic caused circumstantial changes at the Grand River Street North medical hub. The ARTC program carried on throughout the pandemic operating from its main location in Brantford. On Thursday, September 28th the satellite office “officially” celebrated its return to town, this time in a new location at the Cowan Community Health Hub. After a longer than anticipated hiatus, ARTC’s return to the county gives residents a ‘closer to home’ experience and that is cause for celebration,
Say Program Organizers
“When you see the difference attending an adult day program can make to an individual’s life and that of their care partners, you understand our drive to make it accessible to more people,” said ARTC Executive Director Lori Santilli. ARTC’s move to the
Cowan Community Health Hub is a good fit with the facility’s purpose to offer integrated health services. It’s also a good fit for a missing service desperately required in a rapidly growing and aging community. In 2006 when ARTC was first introduced in Paris, nearly 30% of the folks that utilized the services in Brantford were from the County of Brant That number has certainly grown over the last 15 or more years. A new satellite office in Paris is a great start and if there’s a lot of demand for the services, Santilli said there’s a possibility it could expand from one day a week to several days, and maybe even more satellite offices throughout Brant County.
“We know there is a need to offer adult day services to residents of the County of Brant and we are thrilled to be able to provide a service closer to home for our clients,” echoes Chris Ayres, program coordinator “Vested in our service is the opportunity for our clients to live their lives to the fullest,” said Ayres, citing ARTC’s LIVE YOUR LIFE motto.
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