LAKE COUNTY — With Adult Day Care Week just on the horizon, Sept. 21 through 27, the public has a couple opportunities to show its support for local organizations providing respite care for adults with Alzheimer”s or other cognitive impairments.
A raffle for a beautiful, handcrafted queen-size quilt is currently ongoing and an all-you-can-eat pizza fundraiser is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 17 in Lower Lake.
The quilt being raffled features a log cabin design with Raider”s football motif. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit programs of Senior Support Services of Upper Lake, Alzheimer”s Day programs and Peer Counseling and Advocacy-Outreach for Seniors.
The prize was contributed by Noreen Westphal. “The quilt was donated by a caregiver who is a master quilter,” said Eva Johnson, director of Adult Day Care/Respite of Clearlake. “She had made the quilt for a family member who turned out to be a 49er”s fan, not a Raider”s fan. She had to make another quilt and wanted to donate this one to raise money for our programs.”
The drawing for the quilt will held Wednesday, Oct. 15 at Adult Day Care/Respite of Clearlake, located in the hall at St. John”s Lutheran Church on Memory Lane. Tickets are priced at three for $5 or seven for $10. Tickets may be purchased at St. John”s Lutheran Church in Clearlake; Valley Glass at 6820 Old Highway 53; or call Johnson at 279-4836 to receive tickets by mail. Johnson said that she will send the tickets out by mail and when payment is received, the ticket stubs will be entered into the drawing.
The all-you-can-eat pizza fundraiser is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17 at DJ”s Pizza, 16135 Main Street in Lower Lake. Tickets are priced at $8 per person, available at DJ”s Pizza, Valley Glass and St. John”s or by calling Johnson.
“Kyle at DJ”s has been wonderful and very supportive of us,” Johnson said. “In April we had a successful pizza fundraiser in participation with National Join Hands Day ? Seniors and Youth Working Together. Carl? High School youth worked with our volunteers and the cooperative effort was very beneficial for scholarship fund. These fundraisers allow us to help people who can”t afford to attend our programs. We turn no one away.”
The adult day care and respite programs are available for people with Alzheimer”s or other cognitive impairments. The programs provide respite for the caregiver and a safe environment for the participant. Participants enjoy a variety of activities and have an opportunity to gain the social interaction they may be missing without such programs.
“The program is a lifesaver,” said a recent survey respondent. “It gives my mom a chance to mingle and not do the same thing at home over and over again. She may not remember, but she is happy in the moment.”
Programs also offer caregiver support groups, which allow caregivers to interface and exchange ideas on how to manage care for a person living with Alzheimer”s or other cognitive impairment. “A valuable program ? for both the participant and the caregiver. The respite and the support groups have lightened the burden immensely,” said another survey respondent.
The Adult Day Care/Respite of Clearlake offers programs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Northlake Adult Day Center, located at the First Lutheran Church of Lake County, 3863 Country Club Drive in Lucerne, offers respite care from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Thursday.
The programs operate through a non-profit public benefit corporation.
All donations, including ticket purchases are tax-deductible.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
