Support can come in all shapes and sizes.
It can look like a friendly phone call once a month. It can look like a friend bringing you medicine when you’re sick. It can even look like a ride to the gym.
But one thing is certain, as AAA client Laquita of Berrien Springs told me last week: “We have to be willing to accept the support.”
When Laquita reached out to the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for support in 2021, she was hesitant.
“I was only 47 and kind of prideful,” she said. “But you must be willing to accept the support so you can reach your goals.”
With the support and recommendation of her primary care physician, Laquita enrolled in the MI Choice Waiver program.
MI Choice allows older adults and people with disabilities to live independently while receiving nursing facility level of care. The program allows individuals to make their own decisions about where to live, how to direct their care, and what services they need.
For Laquita, being legally blind and having an autoimmune disease really weighed on her physical and mental health.
She chose to use transportation services from the AAA to get to her doctor’s appointments, the dentist, and even a local fitness center.
“It’s helpful to my family because my husband is the main driver and when he’s at work, it gives me a way to get to where I need to,” Laquita said. “It gives me a sense of independence. It’s like having a partner in independence.”
That partnership extends to her AAA care manager, who she says checks in with her once a month to see if she needs anything.
“(The check-ins) are very encouraging. Just the support of the program and knowing that I have that extra support so I can be successful,” she said.
Laquita has lost about 60 pounds so far and even became a volunteer for the AAA’s Friendly Caller program.
Having received the calls herself, she knew how beneficial they could be to connect with others.
Laquita said she’s experienced a lot of grief in her life, including the passing of two of her children.
“That’s another reason why it’s good to have a support system for that stress and grief,” she said. “With the stresses of life, having someone call once a month and ask how it’s going, that’s really impactful.”
She said that while the calls can be hard at first as you get to know one another, they soon become a great way to pass the time.
“We start with small talk and then try to find what interests we have in common,” she said. “With my person, we talk about how she likes to bake and spend time with her family. Before you know it, a half hour has passed. It gives me something to do while I try to help somebody else.”
Laquita said she has always enjoyed people and service, sending positive affirmations to others and calling her friends to see how they are doing.
When Laquita isn’t connecting with others or taking care of her health, she’s listening to audio books or spending time with her family.
She said she wants people to know she wasn’t excited about the MI Choice program at first.
“But once I got started, I don’t feel like I’m in an old person’s program, I just feel supported,” she said.
If you’re looking for support, our Information and Access Specialists are here to help you understand all available options to meet your needs. Whether those supports and services are programs provided by AAA or the vast array of other community services in Southwest Michigan, our highly trained team is available by phone or in person to connect you to resources so that you can live with dignity and independence in the setting of your choice.
Find support today by calling the team at 800-654-2810.