Earlier this week, Mayor McDaniel attended a painting project at The Quality of Life Adult Daycare Center in Auburn Hills which works with seniors who have experienced a stroke or have some form of dementia and cannot be left alone during the day.

We were introduced to Jacquelyn K. Smiertka, R.N. and Owner of The Quality of Life Adult Daycare Center to work with the seniors on their latest project, as well as learn more about the facility and the services they offer for those in need. From the moment you walk in, Jackie brings an upbeat and sprightly presence which permeates down to the staff and daycare residents.

This energy has created what Smiertka calls a Working Model at the daycare. She expressed that the best lesson she ever learned was from her very first participant who made her realize, “Everyone needs a purpose and everyone needs to be needed no matter what stage of life they are in.”

From that day on, she established the Our Hope Projects where all the participants at the daycare have painting projects they work on. Once finished, the projects are donated to a variety of charities such as, the American Heart Association or Juvenile Diabetes. This year and in partnership with the Auburn Hills Costco location, they will be selling approximately 200 birdhouses for Mother’s Day at a $5 minimum. All proceeds will go to the Children’s Miracle Network.

Smiertka also shared with us that the daycare was focused on not only assisting the patients that come in but their families and caregivers as well. The facility provides activities and amenities for seniors that keep them active and gives them access to certain medical services such as podiatry, internal medicine, physical therapy, and more. Smiertka explained that by being able to provide both supervised programs and medical services, it truly puts the caregivers’ mind at ease about their loved ones.

You can check out more photos of the seniors and their work here on our Auburn Hills Flickr page.

For more information about The Quality of Life Center Adult Day Health Care, give them a call at 248.364.4064 or visit: www.qualityoflifecenter.net

Torri Mathes, Media Communications Specialist