The ARK, Adult Respite Care, assists families living with Alzheimer's Disease and related memory disorders. The ARK offers group social respite in a safe, therapeutic, and loving environment of acceptance. Family members receive a temporary break from the responsibilities of full-time caregiving, while the care receiver participates in social activities.
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In Summerville: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 1:45 pm 206 Central Avenue Summerville, SC 29483 843.832.2357 |  | In St. George: Tuesday
from 10am to 1:45pm David Sojourner Senior Center
Highway 78
St. George, SC 29477 843.563.3709 (Tues. only) |
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Community demand has spurred The ARK's programs to grow from serving thirteen families in 1996 with a one day program to a four-day Summerville operation with ten participants per day serving tri-county and Colleton County. A satellite respite day is offered in rural St. George serving eight families in Dorchester, Colleton and Orangeburg counties. Both respite centers have waiting lists. To date over 250 families have been served with countless others receiving information and referral to other services. The number of families and the number of respite hours have steadily increased each year. To meet the transportation need, a bus was acquired through grant funds in 2004, to help families attend. |
 | Peg Lahmeyer is founder and director of The ARK Program, an adult respite care facility for those who live with Alzheimer's disease. Peg stays very busy every day! When she isn't with the folks here in Summerville, she is in St. George with the ARK program there, or writing grants, or doing in-services for medical professionals, or encouraging other respite care programs. Peg is a wonderful person and a hard worker in Christ's service to the needy.
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The ARK's efforts and expertise have been recognized by the SAGE Institute (in collaboration with the South Carolina Hospital Association and the Duke Endowment) with a 2004 Geriatric Best Practices Award. The ARK's presentation was one of sixteen programs chosen (out of two hundred sites interviewed) to be honored. In addition, government agencies such as the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging and the local Area Agency on Aging have selected The ARK as a model respite program for replication across South Carolina. |
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Directed self-help groups in a therapeutic environment. Caregivers learn coping skills through sharing with each other. Groups now operate in Summerville and St. George. Groups will soon expend into rural areas. |
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Advocate partners with families to set care priorities, share caregiving techniques, and connect with resources to allow the person with memory problems to live a quality life at home as independently as possible. |
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Since many caregivers face juggling family responsibilities with work, the ARK partners with area businesses and industries to assist employees who also serve as care givers. |
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The ARK is assisting rural towns in developing Alzheimer’s support services tailored to meet the unique needs of communities in our target area of Dorchester, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton and Orangeburg Counties. The ARK’s Neighborhood Outreach Alzheimer’s Help (NOAH) Project provides grant writing assistance, staff training, and technical expertise to encourage the growth of social respite programs and/or other supportive services that reach people where they live. Contact Don Bagwell, Community Outreach Coordinator. |
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