The Washington Home Funds $1M Towards Construction of Iona Senior Services’ New Adult Daycare Center in DC’s Ward 8

Facility to provide specialized onsite care for seniors with chronic health conditions

WASHINGTON, DC (July 30, 2020) – The Washington Home, a charitable foundation, donated $1M to Iona Senior Services (IONA), to support construction of their new adult daycare center in Ward 8 set to open in Fall 2020. The facility will be called IONA – The Washington Home Center.

The construction of the new center in Congress Heights, Southeast, comes at a pivotal time when Ward 2 is losing its adult daycare center, Downtown Cluster’s Geriatric Day Care Center, scheduled to close within the year.

While the City has several wellness centers available for seniors where they can exercise, receive meals and participate in activities, there are only three adult daycare centers currently operating: Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Day Care Center in Ward 4, Isabella Breckinridge Center (IONA) in Ward 3, and Downtown Cluster’s Geriatric Day Care Center in Ward 2.

“Adult daycare centers are a critical part of ensuring seniors who have advanced care needs for conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia have access to these vital services,” said Phyllis Dillinger, CEO/CFO, The Washington Home. “Supporting the availability of these facilities ensures families and caregivers can have a place that provides respite for them and their loved ones,” she added.

With Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Type 2 Diabetes on the rise, and with African Americans twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia than Caucasian older adults, there is a real urgency to opening an adult day center serving older residents with dementia and/or physical challenges in Ward 8. Iona’s new center will serve 40-50 people per day with a focus on well-being and creativity.

“As our organization transitions from hands-on care to impactful grant-making, we are pleased to make one of our first major grants to IONA for its new adult daycare center in Southeast DC,” said Sharon Collins Casey, Board Chair, The Washington Home.

Adult day care programs provide specialized care for dependent individuals at-risk of going into an institution. Services may include medical, social, therapeutic, and recreational support in a supervised setting. Meals and transportation are provided. There is no fee for service. However, donations are encouraged.

“We are so humbled and thankful for the support of The Washington Home for partnering with Iona as a lead donor and for showing their dedication to older adults in Southeast DC,” said Sally S. White, Executive Director, Iona Senior Services.

 

About The Washington Home

The Washington Home is a foundation that provides funding to entities that create and deliver innovative, compassionate and well-managed programs to improve the quality of life for elderly and/or terminally ill residents in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Founded in 1888, The Washington Home, until recently, provided long-term care to residents of its nursing home facility in upper Northwest Washington DC and hospice care to patients in their own homes and in the in-patient hospice wing of the nursing home. In recent years, the Board of Directors of The Washington Home has directed a repositioning of the organization by ceasing hands-on care and consolidating its financial resources to be deployed for maximum impact in accordance with its longstanding mission. Learn more at www.TheWashingtonHome.org.

 

About Iona Senior Services

Since their founding in 1975, Iona has served its community by providing skillful and compassionate services to older adults buffeted by the profound and complex challenges of aging. Each year, Iona helps over 3,500 older adults and family caregivers with the challenges and opportunities of aging. IONA educates, advocate, and provide community-based services to help people age well and live well. Its vision is for a community that celebrates, values, respects, and protects the contributions and possibilities of every individual. The experienced staff is assisted by more than 1,400 volunteers each year in working hard to anticipate and respond to the needs of our aging community. Learn more at www.iona.org.