Thursday, May 19, 2011

Auction Napa Valley Beneficiary Story: Rianda House

Rianda House provides seniors in our community with an environment for social, educational and recreational activities in order to enhance dignity, encourage community involvement, support independence and promote healthy, active living.

Rianda House Story

A Rianda House regular invited an older woman (mid 80’s) who lives alone to join her for a game of dominoes that is offered weekly at the Center. Cautiously the woman showed up to play and realized she was having a lot of fun.

As time went on however, the woman clearly showed signs of ill health, frustration, dementia and her friends from “dominoes day” began to worry. When the woman didn’t show up one day, they were told by another group member that the woman wound up in the hospital after taking a bad fall.

Her friends wanted to take action and were able to made contact with a relative and learned that she was indeed in mental decline and as a result, was not eating well or taking care of herself. Knowing the resources available at Rianda House, her friends encouraged her to get more involved. Motivated by this outpouring of support and feeling comfortable with the familiar surroundings at Rianda house, she signed up for brain fitness and exercise classes, attended a Falls Prevention workshop and began to join in on the thrice weekly congregate meals.

Five months later, she now comes to the center almost daily, has greatly improved health and is laughing with her friends.

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