The WesleyLife Promise supports WesleyLife’s non-profit mission and reflects a long-standing commitment to serve older adults with compassion and integrity. Bolstered by donations to the Good Samaritan or Good Shepherd funds at each of our communities for healthy living, the Promise ensures that residents whose financial resources are depleted through no fault of their own will not be asked to leave their homes.
The Promise made a meaningful difference last year for William, a resident at Wesley on Grand, and for his daughter, Tracey.
William and his wife had been married for decades and had planned thoughtfully for retirement. Both educators, they had saved and invested responsibly and were financially well-qualified when they made the decision to move to an independent living apartment.
Over time, however, like many older adults who live long lives, their health care needs increased, and the costs of their care did, too.
“After my mom was diagnosed with dementia and other issues, she moved to the health center, and my dad went to see her every single day,” Tracey says. “He would be there from morning until night.”
His wife’s condition progressed and she eventually passed away, and William began to experience cognitive decline as well. Tracey worked with team members at Wesley on Grand to move her dad to a more comprehensive level of care within the community. Although he initially balked, he quickly found a sense of familiarity and connection.
“I started to panic.”
All was not well, however; Tracey, who handles her father’s finances, began to realize his once-healthy savings was dwindling.
“I estimated how long his money would last, and I started to panic,” Tracey says.
Like many families in similar positions, Tracey faced difficult decisions. She didn’t want her father to move again, especially as his health and cognition continued to change.
“I was afraid that if he had to move, it would be very hard on him and he would decline faster,” she says.
Tracey was aware of the WesleyLife Promise, but not how it worked or whether her father would qualify. One day, she confided her fears about her dad’s financial situation to a member of the community’s leadership team, and that person explained the process and urged her to apply on William’s behalf.
“I had a little hope, and I filled out all the paperwork,” Tracey recalls. A short time later, a grateful Tracey was notified her father had been approved to receive Good Samaritan funding that would allow him to stay in the community.
Less time on finances, more time being a daughter
With that support in place, William remains today in the community he knows as “home.”
“I truly believe staying where he is has made a difference,” Tracey says. “It’s made a huge difference to me as well. For so long, it seemed as though all I thought about every day was finances, and how I needed to do the best thing for my dad and not fail him.
“Now, when I visit him, I can just be with him. Not as someone who has his power of attorney or is his caregiver, but as his daughter.”
Wiliam’s cognition issues prevent him from understanding his financial situation, but Tracey knows if he were able to, he would want to express his gratitude to those who have donated to support the Good Samaritan fund at Wesley on Grand.
“He would be overwhelmed, and he would want to thank each and every person,” Tracey says.
You can help residents like William. Visit this page to learn more about or support the WesleyLife Promise by donating to a Good Samaritan or Good Shepherd fund at a WesleyLife community.