Roselind Makes An Unexpected Connection Working with LEAP

At 69 years old, Roselind received a business card from a loved one for LEAP's Community Health Worker/Transition Coordinator, Jasmine Watts. Curious about whether LEAP's independent living services would be right for her, Roselind called Jasmine. That single call would soon lead to independent living services and an unexpected connection.

Roselind told Jasmine that she had just been released from the hospital after having brain surgery to relieve swelling on her brain. The swelling was caused by a fall that knocked her unconscious. When she went to the doctor to seek medical attention, doctors found swelling on her brain, which required surgery. Unfortunately, this was not Roselind's only fall. She explained that before her surgery, she was falling frequently.

Despite this, Roselind shared that her goal was to continue living independently in her own home. She told Jasmine that she would move in with her sister if her plan did not work. Yet, Roselind was adamant that she would not live in a nursing home.

She went on to explain that navigating life post-brain surgery had not been easy. Roselind shared that she had been experiencing issues with her language comprehension and verbal memory. For example, while going through her mail, Roselind struggled to understand what she was reading. "I can't read that good," she said. "My sister is doing everything for me. She takes me back and forth from my appointments and stuff."

Roselind also found that she couldn't retain what people said to her as well as she used to. "My memory ain't that good," she explained. "That's why I have my sister go to all [of] my appointments."

Wanting to support Roselind on her independent living journey, Jasmine scheduled a home visit to begin providing preventative support services.

Providing Preventive Support Services

During Jasmine's visits, they got to know each other better. Through their conversations, Jasmine learned more about Roselind's goals and offered preventive support services to empower her independence.

Transportation

Roselind explained that her sister drives her to appointments, but she just started a new job. "I didn't want to burden her anymore," said Roselind.

Jasmine asked for Roselind's insurance card, flipped it over, and found the medical transportation number. To make it more accessible for Roselind, Jasmine wrote the number on a piece of paper in large letters and then stuck it on her fridge. Moments later, Roselind asked Jasmine for a ride to the bank. Since LEAP staff cannot provide transportation directly, Jasmine connected her with paratransit.

With transportation taken care of, Jasmine shifted her focus to more significant concerns: fall prevention, language comprehension, and verbal memory.

Fall Prevention

Given Roselind's history, preventing future falls through in-home accommodations was a top priority. Jasmine installed a raised toilet seat and a grab bar. She also provided Roselind a walker and a cane to improve her walking stability.

"Thank you for the items," said Roselind. The cane and walker are "helping my legs."

Language Comprehension & Verbal Memory

Jasmine empathized with Roselind's frustration over her struggles with comprehension and memory, so she eagerly set out to help. She introduced Roselind to Hooked on Phonics, hoping to help her rebuild her skills and confidence.

"I'm grateful there [are] people out there [who] want to help me," Roselind expressed. "It's nice that I feel helped and not pitied... I'm still confused by many things and don't want to leave my home some days, but I'm glad I do, and I'm glad to be more active," she continued.

Uncovering Unexpected Connections

During an early visit, Roselind answered a FaceTime call from her daughter and turned the phone to Jasmine. To her surprise, Jasmine discovered that Roselind's daughter was one of her HomeCHOICE consumers. In that instant, Jasmine understood that Roselind had likely obtained her contact details through her daughter. Yet, this was not the only unexpected connection they discovered.

One day, as Jasmine was preparing to leave, Roselind commented that she resembled her sister's best friend from high school. Curious about the striking resemblance, Roselind asked her sister for her old friend's name. Later, Roselind told Jasmine that her sister's friend was named Sheila Divens, which is Jasmine's mom's maiden name. Pleasantly surprised by this unexpected connection, Roselind and Jasmine shared a laugh.

Roselind continues to live independently. "I still feel like I can use a lot of help from [LEAP]," said Roselind. In the future, she would like to join Quantum LEAP, expressing interest in activities such as, Walking Club (now, Walk, Talk, and Roll) and Bowling.

We are thrilled to support Roselind in her independent living journey.