Independent Living Stories

Secret Santa Claus

Posted by on January 5, 2011 at 1:26 am

Bill works in our Money Management Program and one of the people he helps is a frail, elderly lady.  He has been helping her for several years.  She lives alone.  Her income is tiny, but he makes it work for her.  She doesn’t have many bills except for the ambulances.  Each time her health failed, [...]

FRIENDS FOR THANKSGIVING

Posted by on November 29, 2010 at 12:49 am

Friends for Life volunteers gathered early Thanksgiving morning to package dinners.  Then volunteers delivered Thanksgiving Dinners to 332 homebound elderly and people with disabilities.  We are so thankful for all the people who come together to help us remember these folks each year! Megan Willome wrote a wonderful story about what our Friends for Thanksgiving [...]

Please don’t forget me.

Posted by on September 10, 2010 at 8:56 pm

Before we know it Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here and we have thousands of people to reach out to this holiday season — people who are alone.  Most don’t have family to remember them.  We have a program called Friends for Thanksgiving where we deliver Thanksgiving Dinners to homebound elderly and people with disabilities. [...]

A New Walker

Posted by on August 19, 2010 at 4:07 pm

The cartilage in both her knees was gone and advanced arthritis in her shoulders and back made it painful and exhausting to walk, but this elderly woman made it to our offices to ask us to help her replace her broken walker.  When the pain is so bad I can’t stand it, I pray.”  I [...]

The Free Cruise

Posted by on August 16, 2010 at 11:27 pm

An 89 year old called us one day saying. “I am the stupidest old woman who ever drew a breath!”  A nice young man had called to tell her she had won a ‘free cruise’ so she signed up! She thought it was a little strange when he asked for a credit card. “I knew [...]

The Electric Bill

Posted by on August 5, 2010 at 4:21 am

We first met her when we got a call from someone who was concerned because she was driving recklessly.  When we caught up with her we discovered she sat on several telephone books so that she could see out the windshield.  She was desperately trying to hold on to her independence but osteoporosis made it [...]

Tomorrow’s My Birthday

Posted by on August 3, 2010 at 10:03 am

I got a call from an elderly man who said, “My rocking chair’s broke.  Can you fix my rocking chair?  It’s all I have.”  “Well, I am not sure, but I’ll try to find someone who can fix your rocking chair”.  Then he said, “Tomorrow’s my birthday.”  I said, “that’s great.  What are you getting [...]

Her Telephone

Posted by on August 1, 2010 at 4:51 am

The telephone company had turned off her telephone.  She was in her late seventies  homebound  and she was all alone.  I wanted her to be able to call if she needed help, but her telephone bill was over a thousand dollars and she couldn’t pay it.  Every time she called someone she had been making [...]

Peach Cobbler

Posted by on July 25, 2010 at 3:32 am

PEACH COBBLER – SHE WAS 96 YEARS OLD and counting on us to help her continue living in her own home. She called the volunteer who adopted her ‘cricket’.

In the Dark

Posted by on July 10, 2010 at 8:52 pm

We found an elderly widow sitting in the dark.  she had moved from room to room as the light bulbs burned out.  When the last one burned out, she was in the dark.  We take for granted changing a light bulb, but for frail seniors it is dangerous and it can force them into a [...]