Lari White
Q—How did you first got involved with CFPA?
I believe Tatsiana called me and said that she could be a case manager for my mother. I was surprised because I thought the area where we lived would be too far away.
Q—What kind of help has the Community for Positive Aging provided for you and your mother?
Tatsiana was able to go us through a company called Unlimited Choices which provided my mother with grab bars and a toilet seat frame. She also turned me on to Visiting Angels. They would bathe my mom, do dishes, vacuum, assist her getting into bed and walking, and meal prep. It was a big help to me, a real big help.
Q—Before you were doing all that by yourself?
Yes, I was. It’s a lot of work caregiving to somebody. Plus, I would go to the store for groceries. I would take her to doctor appointment and make sure she was taking her medicine. It's a full-time job.
I was shocked that people could get grants to get help. I didn't have to pay for the care because there were grants being given for seniors. There's a lot of things out there for seniors. But if you don't know about it, you just don't know about it. So, it's who you know, and who you talk to.
Q—Did you participate in any of the other programs at the Hollywood Senior center?
I did some of the workshops. One was How to Avoid Being Scammed. That was a good one. Another one was attending an AARP driver's course. Once you've completed the course, you fill out a form to submit to give you a discount on your car insurance. So my car insurance came down. That was great.
I brought my mother to the Christmas party. We got a gift card and all kinds of goodies: Slippers, gowns, hats, COVID-19 self-home tests. We just got all kinds of goodies.
Q—Having been a caregiver for your mother, do you have any advice you would give other people who might be in a similar situation?
I would say to them to call the Center to see if a case manager could come in to assist. They have good workshops. They have games. They have case management. The Community for Positive Aging is doing a good job.
What you don’t know can make a big difference.
“There’s a lot of things out there for seniors. But if you don’t know about it, you just don’t know about it. It’s who you know, and who you talk to.”
