JACKSON – As people age, they can face a lot of health issues that leave them unable to care for themselves. United Way partners with Family Service & Children’s Aid on the Jackson Guardian program, helping older adults feel safe and fulfilled in the twilight of life.
“Abel” is one of those older adults. In his 70s, he’d lost much of his cognitive abilities due to substance use during most of his life. His brother served as caretaker until he had a heart attack. Abel’s living conditions were deplorable, and he faced eviction because his brother couldn’t make sure the bills were paid. Abel was referred to the Guardian program, which made sure Abel got a full physical and neuropsychological evaluation. The results proved Abel couldn’t take care of himself or make sound decisions. That opened the door to him receiving help to secure a permanent place at John George Home, which houses older adults who can’t live on their own. Today Abel is thriving, and his brother can visit him often without the stress of direct care.
When United Way advocates for strong, caring communities, we mean care and compassion for every stage of life. That vision motivates our work and partnerships like this.
Learn more about Family Service & Children’s Aid at strong-families.org. Then please consider investing in programs like this by supporting United Way—visit our donation page online.