DSmith

Don spent much of his adult life serving others, as a soldier, volunteer firefighter, and kindergarten teacher. Sadly, life as a firefighter and soldier left him with scars in the form of PTSD. 

Unchecked, his condition led him to isolate himself from everyone, and he eventually moved to a yurt in the middle of a forest. When Don got sick and could no longer care for himself, he moved into an adult care home near Astoria. It was there that he learned about ElderPlace. Don was interested in the medical care so he could continue receiving his medications. He could not drive and his VA facility didn’t offer transportation, so it was a constant struggle to make his medical appointments. The transportation provided by ElderPlace insured he could get to all his medical appointments.

Don joined ElderPlace June 1, 2015 and describes the program as a “godsend” because of the program’s clinicians, activities, mental exercises, and the camaraderie with other participants.