Chelsea Standard: Walberg tours renovated facility at St. Louis Center of Chelsea
March 23, 2015
The St. Louis Center welcomed Congressman Tim Walberg to show off its new facilities for developmentally disabled people.
The lawmaker visited the center March 20 and saw what the new facilities looked like and interacted with many residents and staff members. Center officials also met with Walberg to discuss concerns about recent legislation that could affect the center.
The 55-year-old facility has been growing over the years as it assists and cares for people who are developmentally disabled. The new wing will allow the center to offer assisted living for its residents.
The need is rising for people whose main caregivers are their aging parents. As many as 75 percent of the people who have been caring for their developmentally disabled children and are in need of care themselves, Joe Yekulis said.
The problem is becoming more acute the Baby Boomer population ages. Yekulis related a tale of a couple who around 70 years old and has a daughter in her 40s who is developmentally disabled, but who lives on her own.
"They are saying ‘what is going to happen when they are gone," Yekulis said. "There's nobody else to take care of her.
"So they are knocking on our door, saying there nowhere else we can go."
While some people can be set up to live independently and succeed, others do not have a social life and end up being isolated from society, he said. The center offers a place that is clean, safe and has an active social life for its residents.
The west wing of Father Guanella Hall has housed a woman's program for 15 years named Our Lady of Providence which provides a community for its residents.
"They are close-knit, they are each other's best friend," Yekulis said. "They share games together, watch television together and go to events together."
Anyone who would argue the residents are isolated by living out in the country would be wrong, Yekulis said. That's because they are at school, going to doctor's appointments or attending training.
"We've got 50 people living on campus and right now(1:30 p.m.) there's less than 10 on campus," Michael Kutas, finance director, said. "They will start rolling in around 2:30."
Each of the wings at Guanella Hall has an added 1,250 square feet and is able to house 10 people. The independent living facility features single and double occupancy rooms with a separate bathroom. There is a special tub room as well for patients as well as a laundry, family room and a TV room.
The family room has a gas-powered fireplace and artwork by a priest who used to work at the center.
Each wing features tiled murals salvaged from a youth home on Hogback Road.
Walberg enjoyed the visit and meeting the residents in the women's wing. One resident, Lisa, took Walberg around the wing and showed him the many amenities.
To read the original story in the Chelsea Standard, click here.
The lawmaker visited the center March 20 and saw what the new facilities looked like and interacted with many residents and staff members. Center officials also met with Walberg to discuss concerns about recent legislation that could affect the center.
The 55-year-old facility has been growing over the years as it assists and cares for people who are developmentally disabled. The new wing will allow the center to offer assisted living for its residents.
The need is rising for people whose main caregivers are their aging parents. As many as 75 percent of the people who have been caring for their developmentally disabled children and are in need of care themselves, Joe Yekulis said.
The problem is becoming more acute the Baby Boomer population ages. Yekulis related a tale of a couple who around 70 years old and has a daughter in her 40s who is developmentally disabled, but who lives on her own.
"They are saying ‘what is going to happen when they are gone," Yekulis said. "There's nobody else to take care of her.
"So they are knocking on our door, saying there nowhere else we can go."
While some people can be set up to live independently and succeed, others do not have a social life and end up being isolated from society, he said. The center offers a place that is clean, safe and has an active social life for its residents.
The west wing of Father Guanella Hall has housed a woman's program for 15 years named Our Lady of Providence which provides a community for its residents.
"They are close-knit, they are each other's best friend," Yekulis said. "They share games together, watch television together and go to events together."
Anyone who would argue the residents are isolated by living out in the country would be wrong, Yekulis said. That's because they are at school, going to doctor's appointments or attending training.
"We've got 50 people living on campus and right now(1:30 p.m.) there's less than 10 on campus," Michael Kutas, finance director, said. "They will start rolling in around 2:30."
Each of the wings at Guanella Hall has an added 1,250 square feet and is able to house 10 people. The independent living facility features single and double occupancy rooms with a separate bathroom. There is a special tub room as well for patients as well as a laundry, family room and a TV room.
The family room has a gas-powered fireplace and artwork by a priest who used to work at the center.
Each wing features tiled murals salvaged from a youth home on Hogback Road.
Walberg enjoyed the visit and meeting the residents in the women's wing. One resident, Lisa, took Walberg around the wing and showed him the many amenities.
To read the original story in the Chelsea Standard, click here.