Aura 

Aura is a frail 90-year-old woman from Nicaragua who was referred to Thriving Downtown in 2016 while she was receiving rehabilitation services at a skilled nursing facility following hospitalization for exacerbated spinal stenosis. She needed help transitioning back to her low- income, subsidized, senior apartment complex. Has lived at Cathedral Arms for more than 11 years and it has been increasingly difficult for her to manage on her own. She has two very supportive children, but one lives in Oklahoma and the other in Florida.

After helping her get situated in her apartment, we assisted her in applying for and securing Medi-Cal benefits, establishing grocery delivery services and showing up for a variety of medical appointments that she frequently missed in the past. Since we have been following her, she has not been hospitalized once compared to having made five trips to the emergency room in the previous year.

She has had no hospitalizations as compared to FIVE the previous year.

Her children visit her when they are able and will soon be likely to explore alternative living arrangements with which we will be happy to assist. For now, she continues to thrive in her own apartment and receive the care she needs.