Old & New Friends

Kathryn Westland, MPH,Executive Director of the Friendship Center (FC) held a healthy aging event at the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center on Sunday, February 23, from 1-3 pm. The event was focused on bringing the FC’s programming and services to Carpinteria residents and their families in response to a need in the area. This meet and greet info session had tables with pamphlets and volunteers to answer questions, artwork displayed all around the outdoor patio and live music.

At the event were Westland with her team – Board President Cynder Sinclair, Events/Marketing Justine Casady, and Program Specialists Mary Buck and Adriana Rosales. Also present were Carpinteria Council Member and Vice Mayor Mónica Solórzano, Lynda Fairly with her Arts Center Executive Director Kristina Calkins, Vice Chair Alan Koch, and Board Members Gregg Carty and Jaclyn Fabre, along with friends and family.

I asked Westland to take a moment and talk about how the move to the Carp Arts Center came about, and the grant she applied for to make it happen:

Q. Tell our readers about today’s event!

A. The event is open to the entire Carpinteria community to introduce Friendship Center as a new neighbor of sorts. Our dementia respite day program will open its first satellite site at the Carpinteria Arts Center on March 18, and we are now enrolling new members to attend this program, which will take place Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 am to 3:30 pm.

How did FC select the Carp Arts Center as a satellite?

While we regularly evaluate and see success with these elements in our Montecito-based program, Carpinteria is a new and unique market. One of the innovative aspects of this research phase is how we’ll measure the impact on the greater community. Dementia care is a public health issue that affects everyone, not just the medical system. Our goal is to guide the narrative away from focusing on what someone with dementia can’t do, and instead highlight what they can do, what they have done, and what brings them joy in the present moment.

When considering a location for the Healthy Aging Hub, we wanted a space that reflected the essence of community, inclusion, and joy – qualities that are at the heart of what we do at Friendship Center. The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center is exactly that. It’s a beautiful, central location that defies traditional notions of dementia care. This space is all about making everyone feel welcomed and included, which perfectly aligns with our mission. We are also guided by a dedicated advisory committee, which includes some of the most dynamic and committed community leaders: Meg Jacquemin, Jena Jenkins of AgeWell, Phylene Wiggins, and City Council Member Mónica Solórzano. This program is truly a collaborative effort, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact it will have on our members, their families, and the community at large.

FC received a grant for the program…?

The first year of this project is funded by the Center for Dementia Respite Innovation through the Alzheimer’s Association, an extremely competitive national award recognizing one-of-a-kind models of dementia respite care. It’s a research-based initiative where we will look at several key factors: how our program benefits families impacted by dementia, how respite hours allow caregivers – often a spouse or adult child – to tend to their own needs, and how quality of life improves for the person living with dementia by fostering a sense of belonging and purpose in their community. It’s important to note that the funds from this program are primarily being spent within Carpinteria, further supporting the local economy. We are so grateful for the warm welcome from the Carpinteria community and invite every resident to participate in any way they’d like.

411: https://friendshipcentersb.org