A Home for the Day

A Home for the Day is a fun, safe, and cost-effective alternative to in-home care and assisted living. They like to think of themselves as a club, providing their “club members” with activities, meals, and other amenities. “We provide a positive, loving, and Christian atmosphere. We take care of your loved one’s needs so they can enjoy their day and you can have peace of mind,” explained Julie Schomer, Director at A Home for the Day.

“There are not many Adult Day Centers in our community, and many people don't even know they exist. Adult day care can be the perfect senior care solution because it's still affordable versus home care and assisted living. Our program is extremely high quality because of our staff and our heart-centered mission and love for seniors. We get to have the fun side of senior care. Our day program runs from 9 am to 3:00 pm and has a new thematic activity every 20-30 minutes. Members of our club can socialize, make friends, share experiences, and keep physically and mentally active.”

Julie is a St. Cloud Native and started her career in HR but pivoted a couple of years ago. “I went to St. Cloud Tech, then to College of St. Benedict, majoring in Psychology. I started a Human Resources career at Spee Dee Delivery and received my Master’s in HR from Concordia University. In 2023, my mom retired, and I decided to make a career change and purchased my mom's existing Adult Day Center. I thought my lifelong career would be in HR, but after having a baby in 2019 and the onset of COVID-19, I felt God changing my heart to do work that would really make a difference. Having a child really softened my heart. Everything fell into place, and now I'm helping to take care of seniors in a meaningful way. Their quality of life is improved, and family caregivers are getting a break, which means they can stay living at home longer.”

“Creating an environment that brings joy to people is one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of what we do. Sometimes, we offer live music and field trips and invite caregivers. This can provide moments when couples and families can just enjoy an experience together and not have to be in the caregiver/care receiver roles. Last year, we were on a field trip, and a couple (one with memory loss) were enjoying a beautiful pond view from a bench. When I saw the wife put her head on her husband's shoulder, I knew that everything I was doing was worth it,” shared Julie. “That being said, this business will break your heart. We get our members toward the end of their lives, and losing them is progressive and painful. This also leads to the need to get in front of caregivers at the right time in their lives. People need a service like this for a window of time.”

Collaboration with the community strengthens everything A Home for a Day is working to bring to our seniors. “We partner with D-CAN (Dementia Community Action Network) as much as possible; they are doing a lot of good work around dementia education and connecting people to resources. We have also partnered with Williams Integracare clinic, hosting a caregiver support group sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association, and have done field trips with Good Shepherd. Love of Christ church (where we are located) has been an amazing supporter for us, too. The Central MN Council on Aging is also a very valuable resource, and Whitney Senior Center has a lot of programming and events that we have attended. It takes a village! I have received help in the most unexpected places, and I'm happy to give it whenever I can. There is really a lot of opportunity in St. Cloud … the universities, the healthcare system, the VA – they all provide so many resources right here.”

As much as aging can be a difficult topic, regardless of your situation, it’s a reality we all face for loved ones and for ourselves. “Dementia is not a sexy topic, but we have to normalize talking about it. It's affecting so many people, and family caregivers go through far more stress, fatigue, and exhaustion than most people realize. It's also very isolating. As a community, we can help them if we know about it and don't shut them out.  Neighbors can provide respite for neighbors, shoveling a driveway, or bringing a meal. You don't have to do this alone.”

“I want people to know about Adult Day as an option on the senior care menu. We’re fighting an awareness problem, and sometimes, when people think of Adult Day programming, they picture a person sleeping in a chair in the corner. Our club is vibrant, fun, engaging, and very special. We create an environment that brings out the best in people. We don't take donations, but we love having volunteers. Some of our activities staff are volunteers, and others come in monthly for live music or other one-off projects.”

A Home for the Day recently completed a rezoning project as a step to increasing capacity from 12 seniors to 20 per day. You can visit their website to learn more about programming and volunteer opportunities.

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