New Haven Independent

Seven days a week, elderly men and women come to the center to socialize and enjoy life, while also receiving medical supervision. Some have suffered strokes, others have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, while others are simply too frail to be on their own.

The time they spend at the center improves their quality of life and allows their family members an opportunity to go to work or have a respite from care giving.

“I enjoy coming here because it’s a very friendly place and everybody here is excellent,” said Mary, a client who recently celebrated her 76th birthday. “I don’t think you could find a better place.”

Mary, who lives with her son and his family, attends the center five days a week and participates in a variety of therapeutic and socialization activities. On a recent day, the seniors were singing “Blue Skies” along with professional entertainer Brian Gillie (pictured above) who has been volunteering at Orchard House in the Short Beach section of Branford for about 20 years.

“We all love the music,” said Mary. “We have a good time.”

Mary is one of about 70 people on the current caseload who attend on a regular or occasional basis. Average attendance is about 35 to 40 people at a time. The program operates 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Many arrive by specially equipped vans that provide door-to-door transportation.

The average age at the center is currently 85, with the eldest being 96. “When I started, the average age was between 70 and 75. With medical science, people are living longer,” said Thomas Russell Romano, the gerontologist who founded the center in 1981. “But it’s not the quantity of life, it’s the quality.”

Orchard House, a non-profit facility, is certified by the state as a medical model day program. It receives funding through the Area Agency on Aging and the State Department of Social Services. Clients who exceed the state’s income eligibility guidelines are charged on a sliding fee scale, according to ability to pay.

Romano (pictured) says the state pays $63.55 per day per client, but the actual daily client cost is about $80. “If the state would pay actual costs, we could keep more people out of nursing homes prematurely,” he said.

The center also relies on funding from grants, donations and fund-raising events.

Clients participate in cultural programs, music therapy, occupational therapy, exercise sessions, arts and crafts, and reminiscence programs.

“What they’re doing keeps their minds active and it keeps their mental status more alert,” Romano said. “It makes them feel they’re still part of the community. It gives them a sense of worth and it gives them a way to socialize.”

The goal of Orchard House is to enhance the quality of life by providing a home-like setting with the addition of medical monitoring. “It’s a happy place,” Romano said. “We do more laughing than anything else.”

In addition to helping the frail elderly, the program benefits the caregivers at home.

Paulette, whose 88-year-old mother has been attending the center four days a week for the past six months, has noticed a big difference. “She looks forward to the interaction. She’s a different person when she’s here,” Paulette said. “It does give me a wonderful feeling to know she is in a safe, happy place and it gives me a few hours for myself.”

Janet has been bringing her 66-year-old cousin to the center for almost a year. The cousin suffers from dementia and can’t be left alone. “They’re very good to her here,” Janet said. “It gives me a little break and I feel comfortable with her here.”

Paula Connelly, who is the recreation therapist at Orchard House, also knows how the program benefits families since she has a relative who attends the center. “When she comes here, she enjoys life,” Connelly said. “She’s active physically and mentally.”

The heart of Orchard House is Romano, the executive director under whose leadership the program has gained national acclaim.

“The highlight of my day is accepting a new client in the program and making them happy and making families happy,” Romano said. “The hardest part of my job is the fund-raising. I have to be an advocate for the elderly because they can’t speak out for themselves.”

“With the bleak economic times, we know we’re not getting an increase from the state,” Romano said. “Right now we’re losing $5,000 a month. I’m hoping to make it up with begging and pleading for donations.”

Romano has a background in the financial field but decided to change careers in the late 1970s when he became the first applicant in a new social gerontology program at the University of New Haven.

“I was always interested in the elderly and the aging process, said Romano, who grew up in a large Irish-Italian family in an Irish neighborhood in Waterbury. At a young age he ran errands for his grandmother and the elderly residents in her apartment building.

After completing his Master’s thesis on the feasibility of operating an adult day care center on the shoreline, Romano was able to secure a federal grant to open the program, which was originally known as the East Shore Regional Adult Day Care Center.

The program operated for several months at the First Baptist Church in Branford, before moving to its current location on Route 146 in the Short Beach neighborhood. Romano credits Dan Cosgrove’s influence with helping the program find a home and prosper at the former Short Beach School.

Romano is typically at the center seven days a week, talking with clients and families, applying for grants, and overseeing Orchard House. The assistant director, Phil Giuliano, has a master’s degree in psychology and works closely with Romano and the clients. “Paul’s been a great asset to the center for 28 years. He has a wonderful rapport with the elderly,” Romano said.

Lisa Lawrence, a nurse at center for 17 years, said the general public is unaware of the importance of programs like Orchard House. “People don’t know about adult day care and the benefits,” she said. While the seniors are taking part in activities, they are also being monitored by the staff. The nurses check blood pressures, administer medications, and deal with physical limitations.

“We’re always trying to keep them stimulated and involved,” Lawrence said. “We’re on the alert to give them complete care, including medically, and we’re in constant contact with the families.” Lawrence said. “The staff is totally unique, very loving, compassionate. …We have a special window into the insights of these people. They tell us their hopes and sorrows.”

A group of dedicated volunteers lend assistance at the center, and another group —- the Friends of Orchard House —-assist with fund-raising.

Diana Anderson, a member of the Friends organization, has been helping with fund-raising events for years. She began volunteering at the center in the early 1980’s when her husband was a client there. She recalled how Orchard House helped her and her husband, who was the first Alzheimer’s patient at the center. “I was a lost soul when my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s,” she said. “I have a very warm feeling for the day care program. I’ll never forget what they did for us.”

Romano, Anderson, and the late Ruth deRouchement Dese founded the nation’s first Alzheimer’s Family Support Group in Branford in 1981.

The dining room (pictured) at Orchard House is dedicated to Diana Anderson and Dan Cosgrove. The gardens behind Orchard House have a memorial to Dese, a long-time volunteer and benefactor who donated funds for the gardens.

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