by Sue Schumann – 

On the corner of Sixth and Grand in San Pedro, Calif., sits the First United Methodist Church–a grand, old church–the kind that ages gently and doesn’t seem bothered by the weathermarks that have appeared with time.

On the corner of Sixth and Grand in San Pedro, Calif., sits the First United Methodist Church–a grand, old church–the kind that ages gently and doesn’t seem bothered by the weathermarks that have appeared with time.

Inside, the church’s community room is filled with an enthusiastic group of seniors…also aging gently, and not seeming to mind the passing of time much, either.

This morning, The Salvation Army’s Sage House Activity Director Gerald Hardin has the men and women cheerfully singing and tapping their toes to “And the Band Played On,” before heading outside to a group “parachute” activity and then a stint of container gardening, complete with bulbs, rocks, and cuttings.

It’s all a part of the carefully planned program of the licensed adult day care program offered through the San Pedro Corps, under the direction of Corps Officers Majors Ed and Ann Patterson.

Designed to serve the needs of frail older adults who can benefit from supervised hours of care outside the home, members include those with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, depression, loneliness, Parkinson’s disease, or have had strokes.

Open just over a year now, the program provides plenty of opportunities for socializing, friendship building, physical activity, and just plain fun–all designed to strengthen mental and physical skills at risk through age or illness. Open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., a nutritious lunch is also provided. In addition, a support group for caregivers (held in conjunction with a hospital) has been well received.

“This is an excellent program,” says Major Ed Patterson, who notes that community and Salvation Army surveys identified adult day care activities as the area’s greatest need.

Their one-year review by the state licensing board was a good one. “We got perfect marks!”says Executive Director Ruth Di Gregorio. “and that’s almost unheard of.”

Di Gregorio and Patterson have high praise for the community’s support: volunteers from the House of Hope, a residential treatment center for women with addictions, have provided excellent assistance, as have volunteers from the Support for Harbor Area Women’s Lives (S.H.A.W.L.); the Wilmington Senior Services Center provides lunches and snacks at a modest cost. Other supporters include the Los Angeles School District Adult Education Department, San Pedro Peninsula Hospital, Little Company of Mary Hospital, L.A. Shares and the Gerontological Institute.

The most poignant affirmation of the program’s benefits comes from a member herself. “A woman in the early stages of Alzheimer’s convinced her daughter to bring her here,” reports Di Gregorio. “She was a nurse and was familiar with her illness, and practically admitted herself. She told me, ”I’m glad I can come here so I can stay well longer. I never thought it would happen to me. I’m glad you guys are here’.”