In 1989, Steve and Mary Lou Zagorski were dealing with the rapidly declining health of Steve’s mother and had several friends with parents who had Alzheimer’s and other age related problems. None of them wanted a Nursing Home or Assisted Living placement. While looking for an alternative, they discovered Adult Day Centers. Looking at the local Adult Day Centers, none of them met their needs. One was very small and would not accept participants who were incontinent, needed transfer assistance, or had significant memory loss, and the facility was on the first floor of a high rise. The second was on the second floor of a Senior Center and similarly would not enroll anyone who was incontinent, that wandered, or had major memory loss. The third was linked to an Assisted Living and Nursing Home facility and also would not accept anyone incontinent, that needed transfer assistance, or showed significant memory loss.
Steve and Mary Lou wanted to have a more comprehensive Adult Day Center serving a wider range of participants: one that had a Registered Nurse on staff and administered medications; one that would help those that were incontinent; one that would be designed so that it could accept someone that wandered; and most important, one that would take individuals with moderate to severe memory loss. They were searching for one that would significantly delay Nursing Home placement.
In December 1989, they began preparing a business plan to attract an investor that would help with some of the money. After months of planning, searching for a site, developing policies and procedures, visiting other Centers around the U.S. for ideas, paying consultants, meeting with physicians, clergy, and anyone they thought could help, the development began.
Centennial Medical Center liked the idea and had an empty physicians building in Green Hills. After the lease was drawn up, the construction began to make their vision come to life. After almost 16 months of planning, raising money, finding a location and renovating a building to become an Adult Day Center, the time to open had finally arrived. On February 18, 1991, Centennial Adultcare Center, the most comprehensive Center in the state of Tennessee, opened its doors.
The first member to enroll was a woman with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Later, more members joined. Even though the total number of members was low, families came to Centennial Adultcare Center because of the outstanding activities program that kept their loved ones occupied and engaged.
In April 1992, the Veterans Administration contracted with Centennial Adultcare Center to offer a facility to serve the veteran community, something the VA had done in other parts of the U.S., but was the first in the state of Tennessee.
In 1994, Centennial Medical Center decided they wanted their building back for physicians’ offices. This meant relocation and remodeling another building. In April 1995, after another search, design, and construction project, the center relocated to its current location at 1808 8th Ave South.
In 2003, Centennial Adultcare Center added Non-Medical In-Home Services as an addition to Adult Day Health Care. We added Personal Care, Homemaking Service, and Respite Care, to better serve the Nashville community and prolong community based living. Finally in 2010, we began offering minor home modifications as well, to allow the elderly and disabled to remain in their own homes or that of a loved one. It is our long-term goal to help families with whatever they need involving elder care.
In 2013, Centennial Adultcare Center finished yet another renovation project, expanding the Center to include new bathrooms, showers, offices, and activity rooms, providing an increase in capacity, as well as to have more space for our current members.
Centennial Adultcare Center is proud to serve Nashville and Middle Tennessee in every way possible. We would like to thank all who have helped us in the past and are presently on this journey with us. We look forward to continuing serving you all in the future!