No matter how much you’ve saved for retirement, getting old isn’t for the faint of heart. Poorer health saps both quality of life and savings. Inflation takes a bigger chunk of the nest egg. Growing isolation separates seniors from communities of support. Nonetheless, UCAN has found success working with seniors facing seemingly intractable issues.
John and Mary Ellen Pollard have been married for 51 years. Throughout their marriage, they have resided here in Oregon. They both worked various jobs throughout their marriage, retiring after working for the Cow Creek tribe for 17 years. They looked forward to enjoying their retirement. Unfortunately, health issues soon had them struggling to get by.
Mary Ellen developed a heart condition which has caused irreversible cognitive and memory issues. John now suffers from both diabetes and lung issues. Like the majority of seniors, they lacked savings to address these conditions. Four years ago, they could no longer afford to pay for housing, and began sleeping in the bed of their truck. Their health conditions worsened once they lost their home.
Upon learning about UCAN’s Gary Leif Navigation Center (GLNC) in Roseburg, they went there to see what services they could receive. GLNC staff obtained healthcare for John through the VA. Staff also got Mary Ellen enrolled in Medicaid so she could better obtain the medical treatment she needed. The couple also obtained a pallet shelter at the GLNC, providing them safer, more stable shelter connected to services.
While at the shelter, their case manager reached out to our Payee Services staff to help John and Mary Ellen deal with their financial issues. Our staff were able to get approval to serve as the payee for the couple. In this role, staff have been able to make sure the couple’s bills are paid on time. Staff have also been able to work on repairing the couple’s credit by paying down past due bills.
As John and Mary Ellen received these supports, they were able to find permanent housing, and moved out of the shelter. Because the vehicle they had been living in kept breaking down, our Payee Services staff continued working with the couple to help them save money for a new truck. They were finally able to put a down payment on a reliable truck. We thank Pro Motors for working with this couple, and being kind enough to give them a chance by offering financing for this vehicle.
The combined efforts of GLNC and Payee Services staff have ensured John and Mary Ellen have a warm, safe place to live and a reliable vehicle to get them to and from wherever they need to go. The Pollards are “forever grateful” for the support they have received.
