Mercy holds ribbon-cutting for The Chris & Suzy DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia
It’s time to think differently about aging and dementia. With that in mind, Mercy is pleased and excited to announce the ribbon-cutting for The Chris & Suzy DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia on Thurs., June 22.
The Innovation Center, located at 9000 C Ave. NE in Cedar Rapids, opened its doors earlier this month. The Center is a place of continuing discovery and implementation of best practices. Its aim is to continually seek ways for older adults and those living with dementia to live more satisfying and fulfilling lives. In addition, family caregivers are supported to make caregiving easier and to help both them and their loved one live with meaning and purpose.
The Center is unique in that it is attached to HallMar Village, a 237-residence senior living community co-developed with Presbyterian Homes & Services that will open this fall. The DeWolf Innovation Center is the only known innovation center in the U.S. connected to a senior living community. Its unique proximity to HallMar Village will allow residents to easily access these services, which are also open to the public, as well as be the first to trial new developments.
Imagined in its inception as a living classroom, Kathy Good, director of the Innovation Center, said that the Center was carefully and thoughtfully designed with age- and dementia-friendly best practices incorporated into the layout, décor and programming model. Many of these same concepts will be applied at HallMar Village.
The Center’s namesakes, Chris and Suzy DeWolf of Cedar Rapids, were compelled to give a $2 million lead gift because of the Center’s potential to transform the lives of older adults and those living with dementia.
“We see this gift as an extension of our responsibility to the Cedar Rapids community,” said Chris DeWolf, president and CEO of Lil’ Drug Store Products, Inc. and a member of Mercy Medical Center’s Board of Trustees. “We believe the Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia has the potential to change the trajectory of dementia research and, thus, the way people with dementia live, and that’s something we’re pleased to support and nurture. We want to be part of the contemporary solution in addressing this growing public health crisis.”
“Our family was blessed to be part of the fundraising, design and construction of the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in 2007, which honored my parents and is a lasting legacy to their foresight and generosity,” said Suzy DeWolf. “We have witnessed the influence that the Hospice House has had on so many people’s lives over the years, and we are hopeful that the Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia will have an equally transformative effect.”
Services included at the Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia include the Mercy Center for Memory Health; the Family Caregivers Center; adult day programs for those with early-stage dementia; as well as an Age- & Dementia-Friendly Smart Show Room and kiosks where products and information are available to enhance the lives older adults and those living with dementia.
“My personal experience as a care partner for my husband, Dave, helped me visualize the creation of both the Family Caregivers Center, which will have a second location at the Center, and the DeWolf Innovation Center,” said Kathy Good. “The number of individuals living with dementia is increasing, as is the number of adults who are aging: 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 years old every day in the U.S. Mercy is committed to identifying and creatively and innovatively meeting the needs of these growing populations.”
The Center for Memory Health began seeing patients at the Innovation Center beginning June 12.
The Family Caregivers Center will begin holding caregiver events beginning July 1. Additional programs and services will come online throughout the summer.
EVENT DETAILS
What: Ribbon-cutting & program for The Chris & Suzy DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia, followed by tours of the facility
When: 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 22, 2023
Where: The Chris & Suzy DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia
at 9000 C Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA (grounds of the former Echo Hill Presbyterian Church)
Who: The public is invited to attend.
