VNA Adult Day Program in Monterey plans to close.

For elderly men and women suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia not living in assisted living facilities, the VNA Adult Day Program in Monterey has provided them affordable care and community. But after six years, Central Coast VNA and Hospice is closing its Cass Street facility on Aug. 31.

“A lot of people here have no place else to go,” says Terri Glasco, who volunteers there weekly. “To many, this is their whole world.”

Many seniors struggling with health issues who spend their days at VNA live with their children who work during the day, Glasco says. With caregivers unavailable during the day, the service is greatly needed, she adds.

“We have not made the decision to close the Adult Day Program lightly, or without much effort and thought for viable options to continue the program,” read a prepared statement from the Central Coast VNA and Hospice.

The organization cites dwindling funds and a small pool of patients as main reasons for the closure. The VNA also says they reached out to other agencies that specialize in elder care to take over the program. A local for-profit company stepped up and began the transition process, but had difficulty securing the state-mandated license.

The final straw came when their landlord, the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, decided not to renew their lease. Pastor Bart Rall says the church didn’t wish to partner with the for-profit enterprise that sought to take over the lease. Central Coast VNA and Hospice would like to restart the program, but reports that could take more than a year.