A Caregiver's Devotion: When A Friendship Becomes a Lifeline

A retired electrician and Vietnam veteran drives from his home in Chesapeake to Portsmouth every day to check on a friend, a fellow veteran he met years ago at church. The two bonded over games of chess before either of them thought of the other as a caregiver.

About three years ago, his friend's health began to decline, and with no family nearby to help, the retired electrician stepped in. Most days now, that means making sure his friend is up, moving, eating, and getting to appointments. Some days it means managing blood pressure, heart trouble, and confusion that has grown more frequent.

Through the Veteran Directed Care program, funded by the Veterans Administration and administered by Senior Services, he secured a paid aide for his friend four days a week. He has also connected with other family caregivers at Senior Services' Caregiver Appreciation Day at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

He gives credit to his wife for getting him through the hard days. Some days are lighter, filled with disagreements over how much sweetener his friend adds to his cereal. Other days are harder. Still, he says, it is a blessing that his friend looks forward to seeing him every day.