Don & Beth Straus Center Adult Day Program

The Don & Beth Straus Center is an adult day program located at Birch Bay Retirement Village in Bar Harbor, open to seniors and their families in Hancock County. Staff work with families to build an individualized plan of care for each member. The team includes a board-certified music therapist, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, certified medication aides, nursing assistants and a consulting registered nurse. A family testimonial on the website describes a mother who laughs and engages more after her days at the center. It is licensed in Maine as an Adult Day Services Program for up to 10 participants.

Morning and afternoon refreshments and a homestyle meal are served daily. Medication administration, personal support, and grooming and beauty services are available, and consulting medical staff help with health monitoring. Activities include painting, gardening, cooking and baking, storytelling and legacy projects, music therapy, exercise and dancing, and volunteer entertainment. Transportation is offered at no extra cost to qualified members on Mount Desert Island, and off-island members can be met at the head of the island.

The program is at 25 Village Inn Rd, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It accepts MaineCare, and other funding sources include the Eastern Area Agency on Aging's caregiver respite program and Seniors Plus; the website lists private pay rates starting at $22 per hour, including transportation, lunch and activities. Members 55 and older must meet eligibility requirements. Call (207) 288-8014 (the program page lists extension 5211).