Everyone’s life is exceptionally busy these days. Between work, taking care of the yard, getting groceries, and now with Covid concerns I found that my life was getting much narrower in purpose. Narrower in thought. It is so much easier to think about just my own personal needs that if it didn’t affect me or my family I wasn’t cognizant that anything else was existing.
Then it happened! An older friend of mine could no longer fend for himself in his rural home of over 40 years and he recognized he would have to move. He had already lost his driver’s license and now he would lose even more independence. He chose to move to Heartland House and that’s when I realized this was a place full of “previously undiscovered angels”. My friend was made to feel like he was the most important person there. Throughout the day and night the “angels” stopped to see if he needed anything and he felt very good about his move.
After only a few months it was evident that my friend was quickly failing. I often stayed the night and watched the “angels” come and go. Moving him to prevent bedsores, giving him a shave or a bath, sips of water, and always a word of encouragement, always a squeeze of his hand, always a smile. I knew he was in good hands and he knew he was too. This was the best place for him to be.
As I look back there were too many times that I had driven past Heartland House and never had a thought about just how many people and their families these “angels” were helping at the time. I assure you that won’t happen any more. My appreciation to Josiah, Bev, and their team of “previously undiscovered angels” for making my friend so comfortable in his time of need. It’s good to know you’ll be there for so many others too.
/s/Dave Algrem
Dave Algrem
Wautoma
