We are very proud and excited to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain MS Center’s King Adult Day Enrichment Program (KADEP) this year! This week we kicked off our celebration with an anniversary party with KADEP clients, family and friends. Clients, staff members and friends danced to great music by Dressed in Black including a great rendition of KADEP’s favorite theme song – “We Are Family.”
“This anniversary is very special for the entire KADEP family – our clients and our staff,” says Michelle King, KADEP director, “KADEP has truly made such a difference in so many lives over the past 25 years and I’m proud to say that we are serving more people than ever before.”
Rachelle Cardinals describes KADEP’s impact on her life in this way: “I have been a client since the doors opened in 1991. I believe KADEP saved my life. It was at KADEP where I found the love and encouragement to not give up on myself and know that MS did not have me. KADEP is my home away from home. People understand you here and are willing to stand by you during your hardships.”
In 1992, KADEP opened its doors to serve a critical need in the community. KADEP was founded with the mission to provide an innovative, community-based and cost-effective day program alternative to nursing home placement for younger adults with MS. Over time it evolved to provide services to people living with brain injuries and other neurological conditions.
We started out small – with about 6 clients participating in the program. Over the past decades, we have moved to our third location and grown to serve over 160 clients each year, with an average attendance of 62 people each day. In 2010, KADEP located to its current home at Rocky Mountain MS Center’s Vista Grande facility in Westminster. It occupies a space of 24,400 square feet. Our building is a former elementary school with a dining room area, gym, fitness center, arts and crafts room, store, and four open classrooms. The building has wide halls and fully accessible bathrooms.
KADEP was born out of the recognition that some people who live with multiple sclerosis and other acquired neurological conditions have difficulty functioning independently and fully engaging in community life. Limited opportunities for social interaction and personal growth can lead to a sense of isolation, lack of purpose and depression.
Today, KADEP provides a dynamic array of classes and activities, nursing care and other services designed to enhance the physical, emotional, cognitive and social wellbeing of each participant. Offering vital weekday respite and peace of mind to caregivers, KADEP strives to maximize the functioning, independence, wellness and life enjoyment of all who attend.
Participants may choose from more than 75 weekly exercise, recreational, educational and social groups and outings to learn new skills and to cultivate an independent, healthy and rewarding life experience. Weekly morning and afternoon classes change every trimester and cover a variety of compelling topics and formats. Some recent offerings include: gardening, tai chi, brain teasers, stress management, surfing the net, batik, cooking, current events, memory book making, hydrotherapy, adaptive dance, and bowling.
Over the coming months, we will be sharing clients’ and staff members’ stories about what KADEP means to them. Stay tuned for this special series in upcoming issues of eMS news.