Black Hills Center for Aging – Adult Day Services
Story shared from a caregiver: Gloria moved to Yoakum, Texas when she was 16 years old and never looked back. She worked as a waitress while attending cosmetology school, but her greatest passion was always her family. She raised five children and devoted her life to caring for those she loved. When her husband passed away 32 years ago, Gloria showed the kind of strength that defined her life. To help pay off the debt from his funeral, she went to work at the mortuary. She never remarried and continued to work hard throughout her life, even cleaning a church in her later years to earn a little extra income. About three and a half years ago, Gloria came to South Dakota to live with us. At first, the dementia symptoms were mild, and I was able to care for her on her own for a couple of years. It was difficult and emotionally exhausting at times. Finding a place for Gloria at the Center meant so much to our family because suddenly we had help, support, and people who truly cared for her. Before coming to the Center, Gloria had lost a lot of motivation. We don’t think she would have had the drive to do much on her own. She would mostly sit at home and didn’t want to get out of the house. What she really needed was to be around people her own age, to socialize, laugh, and feel connected again. The Center gave her that. She had stories to tell when she came home. She enjoyed helping with little tasks and feeling involved and useful again. It gave her purpose during the day and helped keep her going. The last nine months were especially hard on our family, particularly for my husband. He wanted to do everything for her himself. Toward the end, our days became focused only on what absolutely had to be done before coming home, bathing, and trying to rest before doing it all again the next day. Having the Center there for Gloria meant more than we can say. Knowing she was cared for, encouraged, and surrounded by people who genuinely loved her gave our family comfort during an incredibly difficult season of life. We are so grateful for the support, compassion, and dignity you gave her.