My wife died a year ago and I honestly could not have survived it without the help of Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts. She had done all the cooking, cleaning, and housework, she even cut my hair. I wasn’t really cleaning or able to make much for myself. My house was a mess and so was I. I would say this was one of the lowest points in my entire life.

When I had a physical, my doctor referred me to ASNCM. A case manager named Christine called me and at first, I really didn’t want someone in my home. Christine asked me about my life, and it felt really good to talk to someone again. It felt like the only person who had cared about how I was doing was my wife until Christine. Though I didn’t want someone in my space, I agreed to have someone come to my home and do some regular cleaning, laundry, and meal prep. After speaking with my case manager more, she realized I was having trouble getting ready in the morning. Showering had become more difficult for me but again I really didn’t want anyone in my space. Over time as I began to trust Christine, I asked about getting someone to help me in the shower. Christine was able to find out that the person who came to my house to do chores was also personal care trained and added time for her to help me. A nurse from ASNCM came out and talked to me about how I could bathe safely while keeping my dignity.

It has been about 6 months since I got the call from ASNCM. It feels like I am restarting my life and I got a lot of help along the way. Christine helped me finally realize that I needed help in my home. My personal care person has been helping me to safely shower for about 3 months. I am so grateful to ASNCM and Christine for being there in my time of need.”