“We would like Harmony Adult Day Services to be a inspiration,” Koduri said. “Harmony Adult Day Services radiates with dedication and love, inspiring everyone to see senior care not just as a necessity but as a noble and deeply rewarding endeavor.”
One of the first rooms inside the center is a “zen room” for guided meditation and other similar uses. The center will also offer clients forms of exercise, such as tai chi and yoga, along with exercise equipment, Koduri said.
Multiple tables are also set up in the center with various puzzles and tabletop games. The founders plan to utilize art, music and pet therapies, she said. Books are available, and the center also has a fenced outdoor patio that they plan on furnishing with seating and raised plant beds.
“It depends on the guest, and we will be able to tailor the activities to that guest,” Koduri said.
The center also has a piano, which Koduri said their volunteers can use to play music for clients.
“People can sit and play music if they want to, but that’s more for our high school volunteers. We have a lot of volunteers signed up that want to come and help out,” Koduri said. “Fun and laughter are the main elements that keep (clients) healthy and happy.”
Other space is available for clients who want to rest or spend time on their own. In the middle of the center, staff members will be set up in a room with windows overlooking the areas where clients will spend most of their time.
Other amenities include a kitchen, a washer and dryer, and bathrooms with showers. The center will serve clients breakfast, lunch and an evening snack, Koduri said. A dietitian and dementia specialist will visit with clients at the center.
The center is getting ahead of a growing need of resources for older adults, particularly those who may need some help during the day finding activities, getting exercise and connecting with others.
“We have about 16% of our citizens that take care of their seniors,” Koduri said. “And an adult day service center like this would give them the opportunity to be able to take care of their family members while they’re still attending to their own life needs.”
More than 18% of Ohioans are 65 years old or older, according to the Administration for Community Living. Nationally, Americans 65 and older numbered 57.8 million in 2022. They represented 17.3% of the population, more than one in every six Americans.
The number of older adults is outgrowing other populations, increasing by 34%, or 14.7 million people, since 2012, according to the Administration for Community Living. This is compared to an increase of 2% in the population under 65.
By 2030, all Baby Boomers will be older than 65. By 2040, about 78.3 million people will be 65 or older, more than twice as many as in 2000, when there were about 35 million.
“I think adult day services like this will give the opportunity for families to keep their loved ones at home and get respite when they come here,” Koduri said.
They want to give caretakers peace of mind when their loved ones are in their care, Koduri said.
“They’re provided nutritious meals, given stimulating activities that will help improve their cognition (and) improve their physical ability, agility and independence. That way, they stay out of long-term care facilities longer and hopefully stay with the families longer,” Koduri said.
Adults of all ages with certain disabilities or who are recovering from a stroke who only need one person to assist them are also welcome, Koduri said, but they’re anticipating that most of their clients will be older adults.
“It’s our duty to...make sure their golden years are golden,” Koduri said.
The center can host up to 45 clients and expects to have eight to 10 employees when they are fully staffed.
Harmony Adult Day Services is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit harmonyadultdayservices.com.
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