Andrea can’t wait to put up her Christmas tree. Her very own tree. In her very own home. It has been more than 20 years since she has been able to do that. For the last two years Andrea lived in a nursing home, but she is thrilled to be spending this Christmas in her own home.
As a child, Andrea had Polio which left her with difficulty walking all her life. As she aged, she developed heart issues, and after a quintuple bypass surgery, “my legs just stopped working,” recalls Andrea. She now relies on a wheelchair for mobility
Even as an adult, she lived with her sister until a strep infection sent her to the hospital for surgery. After surgery, she spent 2 years in a rehabilitation nursing center before DRA offered her Options Counseling to determine if she would be a good candidate to transition to a home of her own. Penny was the DRA Independent Living Specialist who helped with Andrea’s transition.
“Her family wasn’t sure she could live on her own at first. She had not done it in a long time,” says Penny. “But she is a very determined lady. She has shown us all she can do it! She is so much more independent now. Her health, both physically and emotionally, is even improving. Her family is so proud of her progress now!”