LOVELAND, Colo. — The holidays are meant to be filled with family, friends and joy — but for many older adults, this time of year can be especially lonely. Living far from loved ones or coping with the loss of family members can make the season even harder.
For 86-year-old Janet, the holidays had always been a time of celebration.
“We always decorated,” she said. “And one year we got a tree that, when they took the cords off of it, it took up the whole living room.”
These days, some of those memories are bittersweet. Her husband passed away a few years ago, and her two sons live far away — one in San Francisco, the other in Shanghai. Still, Janet says, “It’s nice to have the memories, but it’s also nice to be here in the here and now.”
That’s where Senior Helpers steps in. The in-home care organization offers services ranging from assistance with daily activities to companion care, often helping decorate and bring holiday cheer to seniors who might otherwise spend the season alone.
Asked if she could have decorated on her own this year, Janet laughed. “If I’d taken six months, I’d probably could have managed,” she said.
Caregiver Daniela Oronalopez said working with Janet means as much to her as it does to her client.
“It gives me satisfaction, because I know that, like I trust her, she trusts me,” she said. “There’s just a lot of things that we have in common, and to know that I can help her in everything that she needs.”
Over time, that working relationship has evolved into something deeper.
“We became best friends,” Oronalopez said. “I feel like she’s not my client. I’d see her more like family.”
Caregiver Kim Doran agreed.
“I think with Janet’s family living so far away, really far away, that it’s good for her to have family here, and we’ve kind of filled that need for her,” she said. At one point during their conversation, Doran turned to Janet and asked, “I think we’re friends. Are we friends?”
Janet’s reply — “Well, you’ve been behaving quite well” — came with a smile.
This year’s decorating effort was something Janet had never experienced before.
“It means more than I can say, because I’ve never had that before,” she said. “My kids, they’d come in, they’d be here, in and out, helping to decorate and everything. But I’ve never had a crew come in and put things up for me. It makes me feel like, what did I do to deserve this?”
Adjusting to that level of help hasn’t been easy.
“I hope I have accepted it graciously, but it’s not easy,” Janet admitted. “I’m just not used to people helping me that much.”
Beyond companionship, Janet enjoys the little things — conversation, shared interests and even time with dogs.
“I haven’t had a dog for five years, and that’s the longest I’ve gone since I was 13,” she said. “I have CDD — canine deficit disorder — quite badly.” Pets, she added, “are great company. Very interesting and fun to talk with.”
Even with the miles between her and her family, Janet said she stays curious and active.
“I would hate to be dwelling in my morass of loneliness, sitting in a chair somewhere in the dark,” she said. “There’s just too many things to be interested in. Life is what you make it,” Janet said. “And I still think life is a hoot.”
If you'd like more information about Senior Helpers, just visit their website.
