Nurse T helps veterans embrace golden years

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (CW50) - Compassion is a word that is used to describe Nurse T, founder of Kathelene's Compassionate Adult Day Care. She started her work with veterans to honor her grandma and grandpa, who was a WWII veteran himself. They were not aware of the services available to her grandfather and her grandmother was battling with early signs of dementia.   

 "I want to focus on what they can do and not what they can't do," says Nurse T who helps to prevent social isolation for seniors and provides companionship. "We have the social model as well as the medical model." Services for the adult daycare are free to Veterans that have been honorably discharged through the Veterans Association.    

"Everybody is not born to be a caregiver and that is ok," explains Nurse T. Sometimes the spouse needs a break and that is what her team and her help provide. "We help to support the spouse and teach them how to cope with taking care of their loved one." 

The most memorable moment for her was when a veteran told her that she saved his life. The VA had called her and said that she needed to meet a veteran right away. When she arrived, she was shocked by the state in which they were living. She gave him an assessment and he has been with her ever since and credits her for saving his life. "When a veteran can tell me that or an elderly person can tell me, you saved my life, or it's because of you, I'm still here, that's more than anything, any money or any check." 

For more information on Kathelene's Compassionate Adult Day Care visit https://www.farmingtonhillsadultdaycare.com/  

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