Photo: (l-r) Candace Lea, Yvonne Napolitano, Laura Dreibalbis, and Prescott Valley Mayor, Kell Palguta
The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center (SJRC) celebrated 40 years of serving the community with a huge party on September 13, 2023. There were over 100 guests in attendance including Mayor Kell Palguta and Gloria Grose, representative from the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor Palguta gave a speech with accolades to the positive impact that SJRC has had on the community over that past 40 years. Gloria Grose presented the center with a certificate of congratulations.
Since 1982, The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center, a nonprofit, medical/social adult day health program licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services, has served caregivers and adults living with illnesses and disabilities, and dementias including Alzheimer’s disease.
5000+ adult day centers in the U.S. thrive in larger cities; The Susan J. Rheem Center thrives in rural Arizona. The purpose-built building on Windsong Drive in Prescott Valley serves those from all towns within the outlying areas of Prescott, Paulden, and Cordes Lakes. Late founding Executive Director Susan J. Rheem residing in Prescott from the 1970s until her passing in 2011, understood caregiver challenges in rural America.
Recently the organization was the proud recipient of the 2022 David Besst Award from the Arizona Caregiver Coalition. This award recognizes an organization or person who untiringly works to establish resources and respite for family caregivers as part of the AZ Family Caregiver Day at the Capitol. “Susan Rheem. I know she is proud of what this program has accomplished on behalf of caregivers and care receivers over these last 40 years,” states
Yvonne Napolitano, Executive Director of the program. “It is an honor for so many of us to carry out her legacy through an amazing staff, volunteers, community partners, and donors!”
For more information about The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center, a tour, or the 40-year anniversary celebration, visit their website at www.adultcareservices.org or call 928-775-3563.
