Now open at NAU: A day club for seniors with cognitive challenges

“An estimated 1,900 Coconino County residents have dementia, the syndrome that causes a decline in memory, speech and behavior later in life. Some with dementia need round-the-clock attention, leading to caregiver burnout. But now, with help from NAU and an Arizona nonprofit, caregivers and patients both have a little more time to recharge. The memory care organization Oakwood Creative Care recently teamed up with NAU’s Institute for Human Development to open an adult day club serving older adults with cognitive and physical challenges. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Flagstaff mountain campus, the Flagstaff Adult Day Club not only gives caregivers a much-needed respite but also helps slow the progression of dementia with interactive, stimulating activities, some involving NAU researchers from multiple disciplines. IHD interim associate director Amber King said partnering with Oakwood, which runs three other day clubs in the Valley, felt natural. “Our mission is to support people with disabilities by helping remove barriers to meaningful life experiences,” King said. “Oakwood is all about supporting people with dementia so they can live with dignity and purpose. It just made sense for us to work together.” Propelled by grants from the Alzheimer’s Association, the Center for Dementia Respite Intervention and the NARBHA Institute, IHD and Oakwood first came together in summer 2025. They worked fast to identify a day club location within IHD and opened to the public in February. So far, there are seven regular club members and a few more who visit once or twice a week. Oakwood anticipates the club will grow to 12 regular members and a handful more sporadic visitors as Valley residents with second homes migrate north for the season. Molly Fulton, director of Oakwood’s Flagstaff Day Club, said the facility offers a slate of fun activities that not only benefit members but also provide relief for the loved ones who care for them. “It’s so important for caregivers’ well-being to have a little bit of a break, and it’s equally important for people with cognitive impairment to have some socializing so they feel connected to the community,” Fulton said. “If you have a caregiver or therapist coming into the home, you lose that social engagement you can get outside the home setting.” Fulton said in the first half hour of each day, staff lead a mental warmup with mind games and trivia over coffee. Then, club members either take an art class or take a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about travel and major life events based on prompts from staff who have memorized some facts about the members’ lives. After lunch, there’s an exercise class where club members engage in gentle movement. Then comes everyone’s favorite: music class, led this spring by Ginger Roberts , who just graduated from NAU with a degree in psychology and a minor in music. “My interest in this work stems from my family’s history with Alzheimer’s and dementia,” Roberts said. “In my experience, music serves as an incredible, almost magical tool for preserving memory. Engaging the brain by recalling lyrics and melodies has been a truly transformative experience for our members. We have a lot of fun making playlists of our favorite songs and singing them together.” Sound Connections Looking for a little creative stimulation? Come to Sound Connections , an elder-centered community music gathering at IHD led by board certified music therapist Meghan Callaghan. Great for those with memory loss, this free weekly session includes interactive singing, drumming, movement, songwriting and guided dialogue. Sessions take place every Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. through June 3. In addition to day club staff, members often interact with students at NAU. Nursing and clinical psychology students volunteer at the day club as part of their required clinical rotations or as part of a practicum course, gaining a hands-on understanding of the various stages of dementia and the syndrome’s progression. Fulton said some students make friends with the club members and stay beyond what’s required of them. King said IHD is also looking into forming research partnerships with NAU faculty members who research memory and aging in Arizona and beyond, including associate professor of psychology Eric Cerino and researchers at the School of Social Work, whose executive director, Michael McCarthy , has experience working with those with disabilities and chronic illnesses. “The School of Social Work is thrilled to support this endeavor and excited by the possibilities the Flagstaff Adult Day Club presents in terms of experiential learning opportunities for our students, as well as research partnerships focused on aging,” McCarthy said. “We are honored to help bring more support to people and families coping with dementia in northern Arizona’s memory care deserts.” Hands-on experience with older people is key for the next generation of nurses, clinical psychologists and social workers, since Arizona’s population of people with dementia is the fastest growing in the nation. It’s why, along with IHD and Oakwood, Flagstaff organizations such as Aging Well Arizona and the NARBHA Institute are working to bring young people and seniors with dementia together, helping to strengthen Flagstaff’s designation as a recognized Dementia-Friendly Community . “Between the students and the members, there’s this little community that forms,” King said. “They look forward to seeing each other; they get to know each other; they get to socialize longer with people outside of their homes. The whole model of the program is just lovely—it’s joyful, it’s supportive and it’s backed by science.” To learn more about the Flagstaff Adult Day Club, visit the Oakwood Creative Care website . Jill Kimball | NAU Communications (928) 523-2282 | jill.kimball@nau.edu

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