New adult day care center opens in Dawson, GA

DAWSON – The Terrell County Chamber of Commerce welcomed S&S Adult Day Health to Dawson Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The facility will serve as a center for activities and meals for senior residents or residents with disabilities in Terrell and surrounding counties. The facility has various rooms – a game room, library and research room, and wellness room – and will offer catered breakfasts and lunches. A certified nurse will be present Monday through Friday and the center will be open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m..

S&S’s mission is to “empower individuals by promoting independence and self-esteem.” It’s located at 475 Cinderella Lane SE in Dawson in the building where the old Dawson Medical Center was located.

Shakita Lewis, the founder and administrator of S&S, said she expanded her Albany-based senior home care service to Dawson because she saw a need for the center. Twenty percent of Terrell County’s population is 65 and older, according to the 2022 U.S. Census. This is about 1.4 times Georgia’s 14% and about 20% higher than the U.S. rate of 17%.

Compared with seniors who live in urban areas, those in rural areas like Terrell County are more likely to be in poorer health due to issues with access to health care social services, according to the Western Journal of Medicine. There is also limited transportation to travel longer distances into areas with health and activity opportunities.

Mary Williams, is a 69-year-old Dawson resident who lives just down the street from the new center. She said she believes it will be a great asset for senior citizens because the area lacked such a facility. She said she herself is a senior resident who’s lived in Dawson her entire life.

“We don’t have anywhere to go,” she said. “So I came today to see what they had to offer.”

Williams said there is a large population of senior residents in Dawson. She said she’s heard a lot of interest in S&S and what it’s bringing to the community.

“We’re all looking for something to do, somewhere that caters more to senior citizens,” she said.

Lewis has worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant since 2014. She has worked at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and PruittHealth in Albany. Her interest in helping seniors stemmed from caring for her father who was diagnosed with diabetes some years ago, she said.

“My mom was taking care of him, and I was doing little things to help my mom take care of my dad,” she said. “When I started, I said, ‘This is my passion. I love to help and care for people.’”

Lewis began S&S, an at-home care center, seven years ago after a dying message from her father.

“He said, ‘Li'l mama, you go out there and help the people,’” she said.

Lewis said the senior day care center is important because it’s needed.

“A lot of people give up on seniors,” she said. “They feel like when the seniors get old, that’s it and there’s nothing left for the seniors to do. But there is. It doesn’t stop because of their age.”

Lewis said she wants to make sure seniors have a space to do things and be around people to avoid being stuck at home and becoming depressed.

Seniors will be able to use a large lounge and dining area to eat and watch television. The game room is outfitted with a pool table and checkers. In the library/research room, there are books and computers. Lewis said they plan to teach seniors how to use the internet as well as help those in need of a laptop to fill out job applications. The wellness room has workout equipment and a space for seniors to rest if they feel unwell.

She said the center plans to host arts and crafts and eventually a “prom night.”

The center is for senior residents, but Lewis said it will also provide a space for adults with disabilities.

She said she hopes clients get a sense of family and friendship at the center.

“It’s basically just getting them out of the house and enjoying themselves and having a good time,” Lewis said. “I’m ready for them to come in, we can have fun and figure out their goals and interests.”

Currently, S&S has a staff of four made up of registered nurses and a licensed practical nurse. However, she is planning to grow staff as the clientele grows. The center is accepting private pay, but Lewis said it was recently approved for Medicaid coverage, and that will be an option soon.

Those interested can contact S&S at (229) 537-0216 or visit its www.sandsadh.com website.