The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
These seniors know, it takes a village
Seniors band together to help each other live independently
BRANFORD >> The unexpected overwhelmed Branford seniors Nigel and Leila Daw in October.
First, Nigel Daw, 83, hurt his back, leaving him flat out in bed. He was in terrible shape for more than two months, said his wife, 76.
Adding insult to injury, he contracted pneumonia, further challenging the normally active research scientist, who retired from Yale University, he said.
The couple already were sustaining members in Shoreline Village CT, a community of seniors committed to helping each other live independently at home.
The “village” concept offers an alternative to traditional retirement communities or nursing homes, according to the Sylvia DeSantis, Shoreline Village services director, who matches volunteers and members with active members currently using services to stay safely at home.
The community offers social and cultural activities to connect residents, sponsors educational programs and advocate for seniors, DeSantis said. SVCT provides transportation, companionship, and even a daily check-in phone call, according to DeSantis. The village also offers a Nurse Navigator Program, sponsored by VNA Community Health Care, along with professional resources such as health, legal or financial management services, according to the website.
As they dealt with new health challenges, Leila Daw also juggled several
FROM PAGE 1 professional deadlines, said the artist whose artwork is displayed publicly at Bradley international Airport and the Wilson Branch of the New Haven Public Library.
She had to curate an art show on Long Island, finish an art competition proposal and write a book chapter about public art, said the retired art professor, who taught at Massachusetts College of Art.
When her brother died, suddenly, life spiralled further out of control, the couple agreed.
They hired a professional caregiver using the VNA Nurse Navigator Program before Leila Daw left the state and her husband behind to plan her brother’s funeral, she said.
With so much thrown at them at once, it was often difficult to cope, but the SVCT network served as an insurance policy, of sorts, DeSantis said. Volunteer instructor Betsy Frederick of Guilford, 77, top, leads a work out during a Shoreline Village CT Stretch & Balance Class at the Arthur Murray Studio in Guilford. Frederick is the president of Shoreline Village CT, a nonprofit organization that helps seniors on the Shoreline live in their homes by providing various social services. Jan Terrant of Guilford, 84, stretches, below.