When Sharon* returned to DeWitt after many years away, she noticed something almost immediately: The community felt familiar. Even the aroma of the rich farmland stirred up nostalgia and memories of home.
The observation made her family smile, but it also captured what the move meant to Sharon. Although the area had changed considerably since she left in her early 20s and she’s now 79, any aspects of the community, with its rich farmland and “Iowa nice” friendliness, felt familiar. DeWitt was where she had grown up, where many of her earliest memories had been formed, and where members of her family still lived. Even after decades away, it remained home.
Sharon and her husband had moved to Kentucky for his work and built a life there together. In his later years, he experienced a long illness, and the couple hired caregivers to help support him at home. Sharon was grateful that he could remain in familiar surroundings, but the cost of his extended care gradually reduced the savings they had spent years building.
After her husband died, Sharon began considering a return to Iowa. Then a fall left her with a broken hip and forced her to confront a difficult reality: Living on her own would be challenging.
A return home
The move brought Sharon closer not only to family, but also to the places and stories she remembered. She enjoys visiting with others in Fieldstone’s health center and discovering the memories they share of DeWitt and Clinton County. A familiar name, local business, or neighborhood can lead to a long conversation, giving Sharon the chance to revisit an earlier chapter of her life with someone who understands why those memories matter.
Her nephew, Mark, is especially grateful that his aunt is nearby. Instead of planning a lengthy trip to see her, he can visit more often, remain involved in her life, and spend time with her without distance standing in the way.
“She loves the people and the atmosphere,” Mark says.
As Sharon settled in, Fieldstone became familiar in its own way. She came to know the team members who cared for her, the people she saw each day, and the routines that gave her comfort. After losing her husband, leaving Kentucky, and adjusting to changes in her health, that sense of stability mattered.
Donations offer reassurance
Over time, however, Sharon’s remaining resources were depleted by the cost of her own ongoing care at Fieldstone. Years of supporting her husband through illness, followed by her own changing care needs, had simply consumed the funds available to her.
Her family began to wonder whether she would be able to remain at Fieldstone, close to the people she loved and in a place where she felt secure.
Through the generosity of WesleyLife donors to the Fieldstone Good Samaritan Fund, she was able to stay, despite running out of resources through no fault of her own.
Donor support helps older adults like Sharon continue receiving care when their personal resources no longer are sufficient. It means they do not have to leave behind trusted caregivers, important relationships, and communities that have become home because life circumstances outlasted the resources available to them.
For Sharon, it means continuing to live near loved ones and share stories about the place that connects the different chapters of her life. For Mark and the rest of her family, it offers reassurance that she is receiving the support she needs.
“It warms my heart that she is allowed to stay and is getting the care she needs,” Mark says. “It’s a big relief for us.”
Be a difference-maker for neighbors like Sharon. Make your impact today!
*Names and other identifying information have been changed.