This spring, the county commissioners have placed an article on town warrants requesting the funding to purchase a facility to house the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living. The center for living (MVC4L), previously known as the Island councils on aging, is a nonprofit charitable organization created in the early 1970s to support the Island’s under-served elderly population who lacked transportation, nutrition and other social services. In the 1980s, the Edgartown council on aging started the supportive day program as a pilot program, one of seven in the state, and the first and still the only one of its kind on the Island. 

The supportive day program provides respite for Island families and caregivers by providing the frailest, most vulnerable elders opportunity for social activities and events, as well as therapeutic, interactive programs and nutritious meals. These elders are living with various life-challenging conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or other debilitating physical and emotional disabilities associated with aging. Activities are tailored to their unique needs, including exercise, arts, discussions, games, companionship, and family-style meals. Here, caregivers and families know their loved ones are in a safe, caring environment. The program is similar to many others throughout the commonwealth, located in dedicated space within senior centers or community buildings. This program serves entire families, both on and off-Island.

The supportive day program is conducted part time at both the Edgartown and Tisbury councils on aging, alternating two days a week at each. Every Island town contributes funding to the program, the amount determined by each town’s senior population. This alternating locations arrangement is severely inadequate to meet the demand for services or the needs of our frail elders. None of the councils on aging senior centers have adequate space or resources for the supportive day program on their own. Changing location from one day to the next severely limits the ability to provide specialized programming and contributes to client confusion and disorientation. It also prevents the expansion of the program and the resources to meet the needs of the current population. It inhibits growth to meet future needs.

Island families entrust the health and well-being of their most vulnerable family members to the supportive day program. The needs of families dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are unique and long term. The number of clients in the program with early to mid stage Alzheimer’s disease has doubled in the last five years and will continue to grow, as will the Island’s senior population. Trained staff and specially designed programs are required. Director Leslie Clapp and her co-workers are doing a wonderful job with the limited resources and space within which they have to work.

The center for living assumed management of the supportive day program at the request of the Edgartown council on aging in 2007, and was directed at that time to find an alternate location. It has been searching for a permanent facility ever since. A diligent, exhaustive search and inspection of any and all (dozens, actually) vacant viable properties were thoroughly investigated and found deficient, inadequate or simply unattainable. Until now.

Two years ago, town leaders asked that our county officials join the effort to find a facility. When the vacant VNA building in Vineyard Haven became available it was determined to be the most viable, practical, functional and financially acceptable option yet to be considered.

The supportive day program, and all the services offered through the center for living, are examples of longstanding and successful collaborations between local governments and nonprofit agencies that share a common service group — our seniors. These are vital services for elders who, because of their disabilities, are not able to enjoy the variety of programs and activities offered at the councils on aging, but who deserve equal opportunities to be active members of our community.

Of no less importance, the Dukes County commissioners have also placed articles on town warrants for initiatives to support seniors. These include funding for the First Stop Information and Referral Service in which all towns enter into an agreement with Dukes County to provide a centralized Islandwide resource for information and referral for seniors; funding to staff and maintain the center for living Island senior center, and that all towns enter into an agreement with Dukes County to provide this service.

The elder population on our Island may double in our lifetimes. Every one of us and our families will be affected in some way by illness and disabilities associated with aging. We cannot afford to delay or avoid addressing the needs of our senior community. While town councils on aging offer activities and events, these are not enough. Significant Island resources should be invested in providing for our more frail seniors today. Securing the VNA building as a facility for the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living is where we should begin. The time is now.

Paul Mohair
West Tisbury

The writer is administrator for the Edgartown council on aging.