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HOLIDAY SPIRIT Name: Lois Arnold Situation: After her husband died four years ago, Arnold had trouble maintaining the home where the Cleveland couple had lived for almost 40 years. The house was in foreclosure, and Arnold had increasing difficulty walking. She was missing doctor's appointments because it was so hard to get around. Her leg hurt so much when she went up or down stairs that she moved into the basement, where there was a kitchen and bathroom all on one floor. How Fairhill Center helped: A social worker recommended the senior guest house at Fairhill Center, which provides temporary housing and other services for seniors. "I wasn't willing to go there because I didn't know what to expect," Arnold said. "And I had been by myself so long." In the end, Arnold lived at the guest house for two months at no charge. The staff helped her look for apartments and fill out applications and took her to weekly doctor's appointments. When Arnold moved into an efficiency apartment shortly before Thanksgiving, the guest house staff provided food, blankets and even a loan to pay the rent. Today: "It's hard for me to explain how much they helped," Arnold said. "And they keep in touch with you, to see how you are doing. They said any time I want to come back to visit, I can." To help: For more information about the Senior Guest House at the Fairhill Center, call 216-421-1350, Ext. 182, or go to www.FairhillCenter.org. - Susan Jaffe © 2006 The Plain Dealer |
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