New Ocean Shores program provides activities for those living with dementia, respite for caregivers

Published 1:30 am Saturday, September 13, 2025

Ocean Shores Friends is a weekly program that offers engaging activities and lunch for those living with dementia, while giving their caregivers a break and some time for themselves. The program began on Aug. 12 and currently operates every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church.

“It was great to see the program launch,” said Bri Buchanan, Dementia Outreach Development Coordinator at the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which is helping to fund the launch of the program. “Our four-county region has a much older population than the state as a whole, and we have several areas like Ocean Shores where the majority of residents are over 60. The need for dementia support services is higher here and expected to keep growing, so we’re working to create more services for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers and families.”

The respite program is organized by the United Methodist Church in collaboration with Respite for All, a nationwide program based in Alabama. While the program is based at the United Methodist Church, attendees do not need to be church members or affiliated with any religious group. Ocean Shores Friends is not a religious program.

“This community has stepped up,” Buchanan said. “The church responded to our notice of funding availability and worked to get the program running. They’ve recruited quite a few volunteers and gotten them trained. IGA provided lunch on the first day of the program, and we’re hoping that other local restaurants or groups may also be able to donate lunches at times to support the program.” Buchanan added that anyone who wishes to donate lunch should contact the church.

During each four-hour program, “Friends” are involved in various activities that include exercise, crafts, music, and more. Lunch is provided and included in the cost, which is a $40 per day donation.

Caregivers are placed at ease knowing their loved one is carefully watched over by a team of volunteers at a minimum 2-to-1 ratio. Currently, there are 24 trained volunteers and four Friends participating in the program.

For more information on the program or to donate lunches, please contact oceanshoresfriends@gmail.com or message them on their Facebook page, Ocean Shores Friends at OSUMC. You can also visit the church at 577 Point Brown Ave NW in Ocean Shores or call them at 360.289.0201.