Melissa Gannon, newly appointed administrator of the Perry Lutheran Home, delivered the second in the Aging Well series of seminars Tuesday to a lunchtime audience at the Spring Valley Campus of the Perry Lutheran Home.
Gannon discussed the spectrum of care that elderly people find themselves ranged along, from non-medical assistance in the form of home care to independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing care and long-term care.
Gannon also touched on memory care, which is a more recent variant of long-term care specializing in providing a safe environment for dementia victims, and intergenerational care, which involves bringing daycare services for children into the elder-care environment.
The Perry Lutheran Home will soon open an intergenerational care program, called Acorns and Oaks, at the company’s main campus on Willis Avenue, she said.
“About 75 percent of people over the age of 65 will use long-term care,” Gannon said. She also noted that unpaid caregivers make up 25 percent of the caregiving population.
The aim of the Aging Well series is to will help seniors and the family members of seniors navigate the issues of aging. Seminar topics will range from financial scam protection to living safe at home to recognizing the signs of dementia.
