(MURFREESBORO) Raising a special-needs son would be a bold and exhausting endeavor for any single parent, but Amelia Lawrence also considers it a privilege and challenge to work with people age 55 and older who have Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Mindful Care Adult Day Services is a good fit for Lawrence. “Arts and crafts are essential tools in keeping my son happy, so activities that incorporate fine-motor or gross-motor skills are ideal,” she noted.

Now in its 13th year, Mindful Care’s mission is to provide the highest possible quality of life for people who are gradually losing their sense of self, while at the same time giving their caregivers a much-needed break. The program operates out of New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lawrence attended Holloway and Seigel high schools. She attended Middle Tennessee State University and studied pre-occupational therapy and social work. She was recently employed as a tech at Centennial Adultcare and worked in the areas of geriatric care and intellectual disability. Lawrence has also been employed at IBEX Global and Federal Mogul.

Mindful Care re-opened its doors on Aug. 3rd, after being closed for nearly four months due to COVID-19. The staff developed a virtual program for those people who were hesitant to return to the live program. Music therapy was also added to both the virtual and home activities.

To learn more about Mindful Care, visit www.mindful-care.org or call 615-542-4371. Openings are available.