Canterbury Care Center Adult Day Services keeping seniors active.

Chess, billiards, painting and baking are just a few activities offered on a daily basis at Canterbury Care Center.

Episcopal Retirement Communities opened the non-profit Adult Day Service facility on the ground floor of the former St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Bremerton earlier this year.

Administrator David Johns, who oversees Canterbury Care Center and Canterbury Manor, realizes the importance and need of the adult day center due to the limited services and resources available in the area.

“Our adult day center is important for a variety of reasons. Our center supports seniors to stay in their own homes while ensuring respite for the primary caregivers,” Johns said.

Canterbury Care Center Program Director Jena Holtz said the program is “based on individual wants and needs.” Participants can partake in a variety of activities throughout the week including music, arts and fitness. Educational, social, and recreational activities are offered daily and are modified to encourage participant involvement. Most recently a computer center was donated by a local organization for seniors to learn basic computer skills.

“There’s always a variety of things we can do here,” Holtz said. “We are very thankful for the gracious support of our community and their generous donations. We are always looking for artists, musicians and others that are willing to share their passions with us.”

“Our goal for our center is to provide services that give our clients a sense of self-worth, challenges them both mentally and physically, and offer opportunities for our seniors to give back to the community,” Johns said.

Canterbury Care Center is open weekdays and is equipped to serve 36 clients. It is geared toward seniors ages 62 and older who may need some assistance or socialization and currently reside in their own homes or live with family members. Participants are offered a continental breakfast, nutritious lunch and snacks daily. The center’s large and wheelchair accessible kitchen allows participants to assist in meals, snacks and community service projects if they choose.

There are at least two trained staff members on-hand at all times at the center to assist clients with eating and personal care. Applications and assessments are required prior to services to guarantee the most knowledgeable and supportive assistance.

“We want to be certain that our center is appropriate for all of our clients’ needs. Our standards of care are very high and the peace of mind for caregivers knowing that loved ones are safe and well taken care of is essential,” Johns said.

Cost of inclusive services are dependant on usage and income. Full-time, part-time, hourly and drop-in services are available. Recently, the center started the application process through DSHS for a possible COPES contract.

For information about Canterbury Care Center, call (360) 479-3267 or visit www.cccadultday.org.