Sunnyside celebrates new space for Young Onset Dementia program
Welcome to the Sunshine Lounge! This new and innovative space at Sunnyside in Kitchener is specially designed to serve younger adults with dementia.
Since opening this fall, members of Sunnyside’s Young Onset Dementia Association (YODA) program are enjoying a permanent space to call their own.
The Region of Waterloo started this unique YODA program in 2014. It serves around 20-30 people under the age of 65 who are living with memory loss. Members meet weekly, where they enjoy activities based on their interests and hobbies. They socialize and connect with others who have similar experiences with dementia.
It’s a special place. There is no other group quite like this in the province for younger adults with dementia. Have a look!
“YODA provides me with a sense of accomplishment, with being able to contribute and participate meaningfully in a group. And I feel like I can add something to someone else’s day, as they add to mine,” said one YODA member.
The new Sunshine Lounge was designed with help from the program members themselves. YODA members helped pick paint colours, even pitched in with certain parts of construction.
This lounge was intentionally built to create connections and help members feel at home. There is a record player for music, along with a dart board and board games. A kitchen, dining room and coffee bar allow members to cook and share meals together. It’s a place where members can feel comfortable being who they are, doing the things they enjoy, supported by Sunnyside staff.
“The space creates a lot of warmth when there’s people in it,” said Sunnyside staff member Melissa Clark. “These are younger people. They want a community space, not something that feels institutional.”
The Sunshine Lounge can feel like a home away from home. For some YODA members, their weekly time there is a reminder that there is a life after a dementia diagnosis.
Through this special YODA program, the Region of Waterloo is working to support not just people with dementia, but also the family or partners who provide care for them at home.
“My spouse has thrived in these programs,” said the family member of a YODA member. “I don’t know how we would have survived without them. I tell everyone who’ll listen how great the people and the programs are. I cannot say enough about their positive impact on our lives!”
Learn more about the Region of Waterloo’s YODA program.
The new Sunshine Lounge project was financially supported with a generous donation from the Sunnyside Foundation and Sunnyside Gift Shop.