Dorothy was 70 year old woman who lived alone when she met NU-HOPE. She had a very low income and faced considerable challenges due to cardiac problems and diabetes. Her legs were weak and unsteady from neuropathy. She constantly worried about falling and relied on her walker to help her safely move.
Dorothy also worried about the declining state of her home. It was very old and in serious need of repairs and maintenance- things that she just could not afford. However, the idea of leaving the home she has lived in for so many years broke her heart.
She also wasn’t eating right. The pain in her legs made it difficult to stand to prepare meals. She didn’t have transportation to the store. When she could go, shopping exhausted her. The healthy food that her doctor wanted her to eat was too expensive. Instead, she often bought only food that was cheap and easy to fix. Even the personal care items she needed were often unaffordable.
Then Dorothy learned about NU-HOPE Elder Care Services.
Since Dorothy’s needs were complex, she was assigned a case manager who reviewed a variety of needs and issues. To address her nutritional needs, NU-HOPE was able to provide packages of frozen, healthy meals that were appropriate for her medical conditions. NU-HOPE also provided incontinence supplies and other personal care items, as the price of what she needed had increased well beyond her limited budget. NU-HOPE also provided an Emergency Alert Response pendant. If Dorothy fell, she could summon help by simply pushing a button.
Over the years, NU-HOPE also helped to make her home safer and more accessible. NU-HOPE provided Dorothy with handicapped toilet and sink in in her bathroom and coordinated with Senior Connection Center and other community partners to fix an area in the kitchen where a leaky pipe had caused her kitchen counters to grow mold and rot. Dorothy even received help with the payment of her electric bill through the Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program for the Elderly Program.
For Dorothy, knowing that she was not alone made all of the difference in how she felt about life. She had a case manager she could turn to when she needed help. She could enjoy each day without focusing on what she didn’t have and couldn’t afford. Most importantly, she could continue to live in her own home and remain part of the community she loved.