“I’m so appreciative of everything that’s being done for me” Michigan City resident, Barbara, says promptly into the interview. “I don’t think I could make it if it wasn’t for [REAL Services].”
83-year-old Barbara is a Centralia, Illinois native, has lived in her Michigan City home for 50 years. Barbara spoke warmly about her husband who passed in 1995, her family, and the way her life used to be. “My husband wanted our kids to have everything he didn’t have, so he worked two jobs most of the time.” Together they had 8 children. Since then, their family has multiplied greatly with 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Barbara worked most of her career in the social service department at Headstart. She enjoyed working with children and families and assisting them with their needs. She also spent some of her time as a school bus driver. “I loved driving the bus because I like kids a lot,” she explained.
Now, Barbara’s days are occupied spending time with her children and her large family. She describes that her favorite memories are at family reunions with everyone there. However, with her declining health, those reunions are getting more and more difficult to attend.
Barbara suffers from degenerative joint disease, diabetes, arthritis, gout, hypertension/high blood pressure, and was hospitalized in 2014 for congestive heart failure.
Barbara was recommended to REAL Services two years ago by her doctor. “They’re in contact with me all of the time,” she says about her case manager, Suzy, and the agency. Barbara now receives homecare help to assist with light housekeeping and errands, assistance with bathing, dressing and taking medication. She receives home delivered meals five day a week and has a personal emergency response button that she wears around her neck. Suzy also helped her receive a bathroom modification for a walk-in shower to make it easier for her to bathe. Additionally, Barbara had Christmas gifts delivered to her this past year from REAL Services Elves for Elders program. “It’s really nice to know that someone is thinking about you.”
Barbara’s children visit and care for her frequently. However, with families of their own, they are not able to attend to her every need. She explains the gratefulness her family, as well as herself, has for REAL Services.
She concludes the interview speaking about the importance of being independent in her own home. “You just want to be home, if you can,” Barbara says. REAL Services strives to make that a possibility for all of their clients. “Without these services,” she says, “I wouldn’t be able to stay at home. It is very appreciated.”
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