Valley Haven, an adult day
program, finally moved into its permanent home in Lompoc, but needs
further help to remain profitable and serve clients in its new location,
representatives said. Valley Haven opened Jan. 2, after six
months of remodeling and preparing its new location at 502 N. Third St.,
a former residence. The facility, which previously operated in St.
Mary’s Episcopal Church, ran into problems with funding last year when
the Lompoc Planning Commission upheld requirements to construct on-site
parking spaces and a sidewalk, which were projects the nonprofit
organization said were too expensive.But the Lompoc City Council
voted to eliminate the parking space requirement and delayed the
construction of the sidewalk in September, so the home was able to open
as scheduled, said Valley Haven Executive Director Sandra Knight.
Valley
Haven, however, still needs funding to pay for a sidewalk, which must
be completed in 24 months. The facility also needs to recoup remodeling
costs, Knight said “We do still need to raise money for the
sidewalk,” she said. “We had to put $100,000 into the house for all the
things we had to do. We need to raise money to cover those costs as
well.”Knight and Valley Haven President Susan Lindman said they
need both donors and new clients from the community.
Currently, Valley
Haven has 15 seniors enrolled in the Lompoc program, they said.Valley
Haven, which has served 307 seniors in Lompoc between 2000 and 2012,
charges $65 a day, Monday through Friday, for seniors to be picked up
from their homes and spend six hours at the facility, Lindman said. At
times, Valley Haven is able to offer scholarships to those who cannot
afford the complete fee.
Lompoc is the second location for the
nonprofit organization which was started in 1986 by individuals who
recognized the need for an adult day program in the Santa Ynez Valley.
The organization’s other facility is in Ballard.At the house,
seniors arrive at 8:30 a.m. and play bingo, listen to music, watch
movies, eat lunch and do crafts before Valley Haven’s vehicle take them
home at 3 p.m., said Sally Bass, a board member of Valley Haven.Bass
said her mother used to attend the program three days a week. She would
look forward to the arrival of the buses to her home to pick her up for
the day, Bass said.Because of the program, Bass said her mother
was able to be independent for a few more years before she had to be
placed in a nursing home.“My mom loved coming,” she said. “She’d get dressed up like she was going to church.”
Bass
said her mother, who had dementia, felt isolated due to her condition.
Because many other seniors at Valley Haven also have dementia, Bass’
mother felt others could relate to her condition.“Having a program like this, where she’s accepted for who she is — there’s no judgment at all,” she said. “It was wonderful.”
Seniors like Valley Haven’s property on North Third Street because it is a home and not an institution, Bass said.
“You
are treated kindly and with respect,” Lindman said. “That is always
felt by these people, even if they forget other things they know. They
have a welcoming environment.”
Another important aspect of the
senior care facility is that it provides the caregivers with a break for
several hours, Lindman said.
"You have to take care of yourself
first,” Knight said. “Otherwise, you’re not going to be in a position to
care for anyone else. By taking (seniors) to Valley Haven, you have a
moment to relax and sit down.”
Valley Haven is an important service to the public, which is why the facility needs more visibility, Lindman said.
