Valley Haven is subject of The Forward View in the Lompoc Record

Sally Bass wrote an article that was published in the Lompoc Record on March 9th.  It follows....

A true haven for those with memory loss

March 09, 2014 12:00 am  •  Sally Bass/The Forward View

Danny, Jimmy, Sally, Terry, Billy, Patsy, Tommy, Mollie, Fizzy and Grace is my mother's response if you ask her to name her children.If you ask her how she got the name Sally O'Malley, she will tell you she married Mr. O'Malley, so her name would rhyme.

My mother can still remember these facts, but she is slowly losing the ability to remember much else. We noticed the little things at first, like her forgetting to come to our house for dinner. But, in time, it became apparent she had significant memory loss.Gone were the daily crossword puzzles. Soon there were notes to remind her to feed her dog. My mother was diagnosed with dementia.

Mom wanted to live out her life in her own home. She was a widow and lived alone. We began getting people to come in to help her dress and make meals. But she was withdrawing from the once-busy social life she had. She was becoming socially isolated.

A friend mentioned Valley Haven Adult Day Program. Mom and I made a visit to see if she would be interested in attending. We found several participants being engaged in games, chair exercises, crafts and music. Mom reluctantly agreed to go for two days to see if she would like the program.The Valley Haven bus picked her up from her home, and when she arrived, she was given a snack. At lunchtime, a warm meal was prepared for her and the other participants.Also that day, a gentleman came in to sing and play the guitar for the seniors. Finally, to top things off, Mom won the bingo game. At 3 p.m. the bus took Mom back home. She was sold.On the days Mom attended Valley Haven, she dressed her best and was ready for the bus. Mom had somewhere to be where she belonged and was not judged.

My mother attended Valley Haven for three years, until it became necessary to place her in an assisted-living home. Valley Haven gave Mom an enriched life, despite the progression of her memory loss.
Valley Haven has taken a big leap forward in Lompoc by purchasing a 1920s home and converting it into the new Valley Haven House. Valley Haven is the only stand-alone adult day program in Lompoc. And as our population ages, the need for a program like this will become more and more important.