Joy’s House Provides Hope, Respite and a Sense of Community
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Photography Provided
When Jane Bentleys husband was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease and it eventually became clear that he could no longer stay at home by himself, she wasnt sure what to do as she was still working full time and couldnt afford to lose her job. A friend encouraged her to check out Joys House, which offers adult day services, and she was glad she did.
Joys House saved my life, says Bentley, who took her husband there five days per week, never having to worry about his care. From the first time we stepped through the door, I knew the staff was full of love and compassion, and had a true calling for what they were doing.
Beyond tending to her husband, Bentley was touched by the kindness the staff showed to her as well.
We were four years into the Alzheimers journey when we went to Joys House, and that was the first time anyone asked how I was doing, in addition to Tell us about your husband, Bentley says. That small question was huge to me.
The idea for Joys House was conceived more than two decades ago by Tina McIntosh after her father had an accident and she was launched into the role of caregiver from afar, as he was located in Fort Wayne and she was in Indianapolis. She saw a gap in care and options for adults living with life-altering diagnoses, so she founded Joys House, a nonprofit that provides safety and community to adults 18 and over who cant stay home alone safely due to basic aging or a variety of diagnoses, including dementia, stroke, Parkinsons disease and Down syndrome. Several years later, McIntosh realized that caregivers needed more support, so caregiver support services were introduced to the Joys House mission.
At Joys House, clients – referred to as guests – engage in fellowship and programming in a safe environment. Because many have dementia, routine is critical. Therefore, each day they start with coffee and conversation, followed by a physical activity such as kicking a ball or doing a chair exercise. After lunch its time for creative expression through activities like painting and gardening. Thats followed by some sort of mental stimulation such as trivia, a word game and of course bingo.
Sometimes volunteers come to Joys House to play instruments for the guests. Others bring their pets for the guests to love on. During holidays local classrooms of kids will drop by to perform songs. All such special events serve to uplift the guests.
When kids and animals come in, our guests faces light up, says Corrina Thompson, community relations manager. Energies shift and a calm fills the space.
The facility is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and some guests are there all day, every day, while others may only come twice per week for a few hours. Scheduling is based on each familys unique needs.
Sometimes our caregivers feel a little guilty at first as there is a lot of emotion wrapped up in dropping their loved one off, but they become family, Thompson says.
Thompson stresses the importance of caregivers taking time for themselves too, whether that involves taking a nap, playing golf or simply going to work worry-free, knowing that their loved one is in good hands.
Joys House is currently accepting new families. One neednt reside in Marion County to be a guest at Joys House, as they accept Hamilton County residents and residents from anywhere as long as the caregiver can provide transportation.
Thompson maintains that adult day services are often underutilized in general, simply because its a difficult subject to tackle.
People dont want to think about this part of life, Thompson says. They dont want to talk about life-altering diagnoses or think about what that dignity looks like as we prepare for the end of life, but its important.
Spending time at Joys House can make a positive impact. Recently a guests son reported that after spending a few days at Joys House, his mother started singing around the house again.
Joys House is the whole package, Bentley says. There is no amount of money that would be enough to repay them for everything they did for us. I will forever consider Joys House family and will forever be grateful to them for their all-encompassing support.
Joys House is located at 2028 East Broad Ripple Avenue in Indianapolis. For more information, call 317-254-0828 or visit joyshouse.org.
