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Senior Programs
Edwards Dedicates Anchorage Center
By Jenni Ragland –
A fresh blanket of snow greeted Commissioner David Edwards, territorial commander, on his arrival in Anchorage, Alaska, to dedicate the Army’s newly constructed Serendipity Adult Living Skill & Residential Center.
During his address at the dedication ceremony, Edwards reminded those present of the special calling to work with these seniors. “As the name suggests, Serendipity is certainly not a place where people go who are waiting for death,” challenged Edwards, “but it is a place where they go to discover that life still holds a few more pleasant surprises.”
On Sunday morning, accompanied by divisional leaders Majors Harold and Joann Brodin, Edwards shared in a time of worship with many of the local soldiers and friends, including the morning chapel service at the Anchorage Adult Rehabilitation Program and the Holiness Meeting at the South Anchorage Center for Worship & Service. The morning meeting was a festive service with the Hanging of the Greens celebration and the enrollment of 13 new Junior soldiers conducted by the Commissioner.
The Serendipity Center first opened its doors in Anchorage in 1983, sharing rented facilities with the Anchorage Outpost. The program serves adults experiencing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, or related disorders and seniors who are physically frail. This safe, supervised setting provides an alternative to nursing home care for families who work during the day, and valuable respite for full-time caregivers.
The growing senior population in Anchorage has created a greater demand for adult day services such as those provided by Serendipity. The new 4,800 sq. ft. facility will nearly double the capacity of the program to 40 participants. A $400,000 grant from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority funded approximately one-half of the construction costs. Remaining costs will be funded through private donations and The Salvation Army.
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