AN ACT appropriating funds to senior services, inc., to expand the ELIZABETH AND TAB WILLIAMS ADULT DAY CENTER INTO A ONE‑OF‑A‑KIND INTERGENERATIONAL CENTER FOR ARTS AND WELLNESS.

Whereas, there are 58,933 people age 65 and older living in Forsyth County, a number that is predicted to grow by 50% over the next 20 years; and

Whereas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias will grow as the population ages, doubling by 2060; and

Whereas, data collected in partnership with Age Friendly Forsyth, a collaborative alliance of aging adults and community partners working together to ensure Forsyth County is a livable community, reveals that 29% or 21,100 seniors ages 60 and older currently living in Forsyth County are providing help or care for a relative or a friend; and

Whereas, of that number 26% or 5,500 people are not getting any relief or time off from their caregiving responsibilities. These caregivers reported needing help with dementia/Alzheimer's care, especially more day services, amongst other supports; and

Whereas, Senior Services, Inc., a private, nonprofit agency that has been providing assistance in the Forsyth community for more than 58 years, plans to expand both the size of the space and the scope of services provided by the Elizabeth and Tab Williams Adult Day Center to provide a national model for the delivery of senior services by creating a state of the art, one‑of‑a‑kind intergenerational adult day health/day care center; and

Whereas, the new Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness will include a new, larger home for the Williams Adult Day Center and expand upon research conducted in partnership with Wake Forest University School of Medicine by integrating dedicated‑space programmatic partners, including Novant Health, Sticht Center on Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention, Family Services, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, Winston‑Salem State University, Hispanic League, and shared‑space programmatic partners, including The Shepherd's Center of Greater Winston‑Salem, The Sawtooth School for Visual Art, Wake Forest University IMPROVment, and other arts partners to provide health care, intentional intergenerational interaction, and arts‑based activities all under one roof; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to Senior Services, Inc., a nonprofit organization, the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year and the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the 2022‑2023 fiscal year in nonrecurring funds to build a new and expanded Williams Adult Day Center that will meet the daily needs of older adults who are living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia participating in the day program by bringing health, wellness, arts, and intergenerational program partners under one roof.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.