An Elderly Protective Services Success Story

The following is a story from our Elderly Protective Services program (EPS), which works to prevent, remedy, halt, or hinder acts of abuse and neglect against elderly adults in the community while promoting the maximum possible degree of personal freedom, dignity, and self-determination for these individuals. For confidentiality purposes, the client's name has been omitted.

Client A is a female in her 80's who was living alone in a flood-damaged home in Jefferson Parish. EPS received a report from Emergency Management Services that Client A was in trouble. She refused to go to the hospital, and when EPS arrived, they found her home in dire straits. There was just enough space to get around in the house, which was littered with clutter. Client A was found sitting on her bed, which had no linens or sheets on it. Her living quarters were filthy. There was an unresponsive dog on the bed with her.

Client A's son was called in, and he encouraged her to go to the hospital to be evaluated. She went, and found out that in addition to a broken hip, all her other vital signs were off.

Client A was nursed back to health and brought to a nursing home to be near her son. She is now doing well thanks to Elderly Protective Services' intervention.

Wayne's Story

Wayne (pictured) has a troubled past. After Hurricane Katrina, he and his wife Julie were living under a bridge. Times were indeed tough, but it was Wayne’s unwavering spirit and trust in God that saw him through - “I just believed that God would show me the way, and he did”.

With the help of a collaboration of agencies, including Volunteers of America, Wayne and his wife are now living in an apartment and are as happy as they could imagine they would ever be. Wayne has since been on an advisory board for another agency and has given testimonials in Washington on their behalf. Wayne is interested in working for Volunteers of America and is exploring his options.

Congratulations, Wayne!

Volunteers of America Staff Featured in WWL and Times-Picayune articles

Click here to read a piece from WWL about New Orleans' mental health delivery system post-Katrina, featuring Rebecca Thees, our Coordinator of Disaster Related Services.

Click here to read a piece from the Times-Picayune about mental health issues in post-Katrina New Orleans, also featuring Rebecca Thees.