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Emergency Preparedness for Seniors During the Holidays

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The needs of the elderly are great and have always been a challenge. To be unable to meet expenses with income is many folks’ problem but for my clients and prospective clients it’s through no fault of their own.

On Christmas Eve an unnamed individual was busily and excitedly preparing for the Christmas Day celebration of their Lord Jesus Christ’s birthday. It is a very special event in millions of people’s lives and for this person it is always an extra special holiday. Pleasing other people is a priority, family and those close to family, even more so. At 80 years old the memories of Christmases on Grandma’s/Grandpa’s farm will always be the fondest memories of Christmas. A doll wished for and prayed for after many Christmases finally arrived. Addressed as coming directly from Santa and labels of happy thoughts from the North Pole. How much fun is it to be Santa yourself to someone that has been praying and wishing for a special gift.

This year a request came through for our senior to provide a special and often sought after dish for Christmas dinner. This would be the easiest gift to produce as it was a recipe past down by word of mouth and hands-on training. The problem is there is a burning desire to give more. Something for everyone, that they knew and that they could show appreciation and love to. In the scurry and hurry of the excitement one can forget that at eighty somethings are beyond their ability. Stirring the ingredients to make that special fudge for friends or lifting up the pot to pour into the mold, running to the store quickly to get more fluff or chocolate chips. A lifelong partner is a blessing. But, without a partner or anyone to be there for you things can happen.

It was late afternoon Christmas Eve, and a nature call was just not needed but not to be ignored. The race to the bathroom nearby was a no brainer. Toilet handrails were installed for safety which made getting up and down easy. However, with one shoulder replaced and the other shoulder in pain most of the time the handrails were not as helpful but non the less a blessing to have. In trying to sit the left arm gave way and throw our octogenarian to the floor. In the process of falling the helpful handrail twisted and hit the toilet tank so hard that the tank broke. On the floor and water rushing past the feeling of unconsciousness or a temporary blackout was not ruled out. The fill valve not knowing the tank was broke continued to try to refill the tank thus adding more water to the floor. In an effort for our 80-year-old to get up a continuous of several slip and falls ensued. Alone and helpless the only way to get help was to get up. Whoever thought a medic alert system would be needed yet? Hindsight is 20/20. After what seemed like hours our victim was able to get up and get to a phone which summed immediate response from neighbors and friends. With the main water shut off and our octogenarian safely seated the second emergency was to bail water. With volunteers helping as much as possible a 24-hour restoration company was summed. It was Christmas Eve and getting anyone to answer was near impossible. However, the volunteers where a tremendous asset and when the restoration company finally responded it was mostly the carpets that were sopping wet. The restoration company had no extraction equipment and tried to use dehumidifiers and fans to help. That was a useless effort for carpets soaked with water. As they were asked to leave a carpet cleaning company was summed and immediately nearly 90% of the water from the carpets was removed. Hard floors were washed and dried. A second and experienced restoration company was hired and immediately began measuring the percentage of water left and spent three days ensuring the home was dry and safe.

Our senior citizen spent 4 days in the hospital and another three days away from home waiting for the house to be certified safe and livable. The great news is there are no broken bones or sever concussions but none the less a slight concussion with lots of bodily harm, lots of disappointment, sadness and tons of stress. Christmas passed and new years was just another day. This is a true story, and the point is that our hero had resources and funds to cover all the expenses including immediate expenses which ran into the thousands of dollars. So why is this event so valuable to record? Because it has happened to young families that lived in simular situations with no money for restoration companies or carpet cleaning companies and home insurance policies with $10,000.00 deductible just to meet the mortgage companies demand. Rental Insurance policies that elapsed due to the inability to earn a livable wage even with two jobs.

Folks, in our 10 years, we at HPLA Charities we have recruited wonderful and loving volunteers to help in situations like this where families had no reserves to deal with these emergencies and accidents which happen through no fault to their own. The replacement cost of basic resources is there to help because of you. You that contribute to human needs not just to welcome signs for the local community. You are the saviors as are the volunteers of HPLA Charities. We don’t have a paid staff nor take any donation away from those we help. Next time you give a donation ask if your donation is going to pay the $100,000/yr director first and the desperate folks they preach to help second?

Our octogenarian is healing, on oxygen and homebound for a while but thankful for no broken bones and is still trying to send out those gifts that got put on hold. A total remodel project to equip the bathroom to handicap standards is in process as well as a medic alert bracelet. A caregiver will always be close at hand and maybe help stir the ingredients of that make up that special fudge.

For now have a Happy New Year. May God provide you with a safe and blessed 2026 and beyond. To respond to our call for help please trust www.hplacharites.org/donate as a channel to send us money. It is a tax-deductible donation for those of you who are blessed to need one. FYI, all donations go through PayPal before being distributed to HPLA.

I am Robert L. Flores Chairman and would appreciate your sponsorship and partnership in leading the organization in 2026. It is time for this Octogenarian to pass on the ruins. Blessings

CINCO DE MAYO-Fundraiser

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Proud to be Latino

Help us to help our fellow brothers and Sisters that may need a little help to regroup

Fundraiser for HPLA

2024 is flying by and for us old folks that holds true, more so, than for the younger generations.  As a kid in elementary I could not wait for summer to come. It seemed the days would drag along. Down side was that summer was over in a heartbeat. I have that feeling most every day as a senior.

As folks age the need for assistance to survive increases and what was a quick jump in the shower now requires grab bars, shower chairs and hand rails. Recently I realized that standing in the shower was not as easy as in years past. To fix that I acquired a couple of Grab Bars that hold on to the surface with suction. They are not like the arrows you licked the end on to stick to the wall, but rather an ingénues suction cup system that creates a tight vacuum seal. Each time I use the shower I make sure the grab bar works without failing and after several months they seem to be working just fine. I smooth surface is a must and permanently attached grab bars is best.

As the founder of HPLA I was involved in hundreds of projects where older folks did not have the resources to secure a safe entry and exit out of the bath. In a recent stay at a hotel the handicap shower was not only zero entry but was equipped with hand rails shower chairs and portable shower wands. Thank You to the construction industry as well as all other hospitality and public facilities that have made every effort to get us in and out of a bathroom or building safety.

However in our client base we are called upon to retrofit ones home to accommodate those safety features. Organizations are working diligently to add wheel chair ramps and grab bars, but the need by individuals far outruns the large nonprofit organizations capability. Secondly getting the attention of those groups can be nearly impossible. One organization demands a down payment to come preview the project. Granted the money was refundable or goes against the cost of the project, but as in many times in my past $100. was unattainable or a luxury. People in need don’t have money under the mattress. They live pay check to paycheck and a disability ruins there life. This is not news. It has been going on forever. The good news is we are making progress. The federal and state governments have established & funded programs to help. The folks that are left behind are the folks we look to find. We ask friends and families “do you know someone that is hurting through no fault of their own”? Almost everyone does, but very few want to get involved to help even if it’s just to refer them. So what can you do?

I a recent conversation I mentioned there was an organization that was helping low income homeowners with home repair for free. Really?

Yes I said “ if you know anyone that needs help just have them look up HPLA Charities. Sometimes that is all it takes, bringing us up to your circle of friends. The grass roots organizations like ours get to folks the big non-profits will never see or even care to see. At HPLA we care about everyone and make every effort to help. If the project is to big than we help reach someone who can help. We become your case manager.

We aren’t paid by grants or donations. We work for free. We ask for donations to buy the grab bars and the hand rails. Yes, the building supplies and materials to help those that are in need through no fault of their own..

HELP! http://www.hplacharities.org/donate