Stories of Hope

JFS at Home
A Little Help Keeps a Senior Living Independently at Home

For Eileen Price, enlisting the services of JFS at Home meant the difference between staying in her own home and moving into an assisted living facility. Eileen has been in her Crestmoor home for 45 comfortable, happy years and intends to stay there for as long as possible.

The 83-year-old widow has had macular degeneration for the past 15 years and her vision has slowly deteriorated. She gave up her car years ago and relied on her husband Max to handle driving duties. When he passed away last year, she was suddenly dependent on others to manage her life.

“For 60 years, my husband and I shared all the fun and chores of daily life,” confides Eileen. “Since he died a year ago, the fun is gone but all the chores remain to be dealt with—alone. At first, family, friends, and neighbors saw to it that I was well cared for. But I quickly realized that relying on friends was a temporary solution. I needed some stability in my life to maintain my independence.”

Eileen was familiar with JFS at Home, mostly from ads in Oy to Joy, Denver’s Jewish senior activity guide. Several months ago, the ad’s headline, “Let us help,” hit home. “I felt the time had come when help was needed,” she says. “I made the phone call.”

Other than her challenges with eyesight, Eileen is fully self-sufficient. She cooks, cleans, bathes, and handles all of her day-to-day activities with ease. She enjoys gardening, socializing with friends and neighbors, studying genealogy, and working on puzzles. There is only one thing that Eileen can’t do: drive a car. And that’s where JFS at Home comes in. The three hours she spends with a caregiver each week means that she can go to the grocery store, do her banking, make doctor’s appointments, and run other necessary errands.

“JFS at Home was a great solution for me,” says Eileen. “My goal was to stay in my home. I am getting the little bit of help that I need so I can still have my independence.”

It was a positive experience from the start. “When I called JFS, the response was quick, cordial, and efficient. The staff worked with me and we decided to start with three hours each week. It has worked out beautifully. I adore my caregiver, Sandra, and couldn’t have asked for a better match. She’s a perky, sweet person with a generous smile who would do anything for me. We love to chat. We’ve really developed a special friendship.”

“I keep a priority list of my weekly errands. If we accomplish several at the top of the list, I consider it successful,” says Eileen. “Of course shopping for food is always a standard item. When I have just a few items on the list, I’ll schedule a trip to a museum or ask Sandra to read me newspaper articles that I am interested in. Since Sandra started helping me, I feel I can continue living at home and slowly add a little bit of fun back into my life. The arrangement with JFS at Home is working extremely well.”

For more information about JFS at Home contact Doreen Osborne at 303.750.4000.