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Nova Scotia retiree Art plans to keep his beloved partner, Sharon, at home with him as long as possible. The pair joined together 25 years ago, forging a bond that has seen them through considerable challenges. 

When Sharon was diagnosed with a rare illness that put her in the hospital for over six months, her family also noticed advancing memory issues caused by dementia. In early 2025, Sharon—whose daughter is a VON nurse—began attending the local Adult Day Program (ADP), which provides social, recreational and therapeutic activities for seniors and individuals with disabilities, in a safe and supervised environment.

Sharon attends the program two days per week, and Art says she can hardly wait to get there. He has noticed a remarkable change in her in just a short period of time. “She came from being in a shell to coming out of that shell,” he says. “She’s talking and she can carry on a conversation with me, with help. She answers all my questions now.”

Heather Rowlands, Manager of Home and Community Care, Community Support Services, for VON Antigonish and Pictou County, has seen the change in Sharon too. At the start, she couldn’t zip up her coat or make eye contact. “Now she can tie her shoes, and she hears what you're saying and will say a couple of words back,” says Heather. “She'll laugh if you make a joke, and she gleans joy from situations. She's got a sense of humor again.”

Sharon enjoys reading aloud from Montessori readers, playing crokinole and participating in exercises through the SMART (Seniors Maintaining Active Roles Together)® program, now available at all of VON’s Nova Scotia ADP programs.

Heather says Sharon’s family credits the ADP and its socialization opportunities for the change in their loved one. “She started coming and socializing with people who were in the same place as her,” says Heather. “She was surrounded by peers, and she felt safe and supported and free to be herself.”

The new routine has also impacted the couple’s home routine—although Sharon attends ADP twice per week, the family has opted out of the third available day. She’s so tired from her ADP visits that she often sleeps in the following day, allowing Art time to do some work around the house. While outdoors shoveling snow or gardening, Art keeps an eye on the window—Sharon sits in her regular chair by the window when she wakes.

Art was invited to join a caregiver support group, but says the ADP is just the respite he needs. He can visit friends, do his banking, hit three grocery stores to track down deals or just drive around the block and get some air. 

“Art wants to maximize any amount of time that they have together and make it as enjoyable as possible,” says Heather. “And in order to do that, he feels like he needs a bit of time by himself to do all of the not-so-fun stuff, so that the time that they spend together is high quality time.”

ADP is “one of the best deals in the world,” Art says. “It’s not only good for you, it’s really good for them. She is comfortable here. When she comes in here, she’s smiling. I’d recommend the program to anybody.” 

Caring for a loved one is a 24/7 job but Art says he doesn’t mind. It is important to him that Sharon stays in her home, surrounded by family: “I want to keep her as long as I can. I’m game for the whole thing.”

If you are able to make a donation—large or small—to help seniors like Sharon visit an Adult Day Program in your area, please visit von.ca/donate