Testimonials

An Afternoon with Nefie

With a giant smile, Nefie will tell you that the three year journey to find a house that she truly loves was well worth the effort. After 25 years at the Lanterman Development Center, she finally found a house that she can joyously call her own. Nefie has made this house her home. She and her housemates have not only become friends, they have become family.Nefie is known for looking after other residents and enjoys helping them out when necessary. She takes it upon herself to take new residents under her wing as she lovingly helps them to get acquainted with their new surroundings.

Nefie has also experienced a warm welcome and acceptance in her community as she goes about her adventurous and busy schedule. When we arrived at Nefie’s house, she was happily waiting at the door to greet us. Nefie is a hard person to catch up with. If she’s not busy throwing birthday parties for one of her many friends, she might be out visiting a favorite friend in Santa Monica and going to the beach. Some of her favorite recent outings were to Red Lobster, an arboretum, and a Hawaiian Luau where she danced the hokey pokey. Nefie is very engaged in the community. She has had the pleasure of choosing her own church that she visits every Sunday and she recently got her public library card so she can hunt for intriguing reading materials for her more restful times.When the weather is not too warm, she and her friends go for daily outings around the neighborhood and to the park.

Some upcoming adventures that she is excited about are trips to the L.A. County Fair and Music in the Park. Living in a house comes with some responsibilities too, and Nefie enjoys helping out around the house. She is responsible for daily chores that she contributes to the household. Accompanied by a loving and talented staff, Nefie helps with the grocery shopping and menu planning. Nefie says one of her favorite chores is going to get the car washed. She even attends interviews for new staff and her feedback is highly regarded by everyone.

Recently, Nefie has been supported in taking on the personal challenge of eating on her own and her ongoing success is very exciting.The first thing you notice when you meet Nefie is her delightful, inspiring smile and her warm and friendly attitude. She is supported by kind and caring staff. Her dreams and interests are respected and she is responsible for making all the important decisions in her own life. She is surrounded by friends and she is fully engaged in a community that accepts and supports her. Nefie has truly found a wonderful home.