PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A new adult day care facility opening in Portsmouth is giving seniors a new life.
Helping Hands for Heroes is a nonprofit organization part of the Childs Foundation aiming to make seniors feel comfortable and keep them healthy.
"There's just care, care and nurturing," said Kiana Childs, co-owner of Helping Hands for Heroes. "Something that's lacking in a lot of people in this area."
Childs says that they opened after hearing about seniors being dropped off at local hospitals with nothing but their clothes on their backs and nowhere to go.
"Seniors are being dropped off at the emergency room, almost like, and I hate to say it this way, like a dog gets dropped off at the SPCA," she added.
The organization accepts Medicaid and has partnered with the VA, allowing their services to be provided for free. They are pending for Medicare.
Helping Hands for Heroes offers free healthcare, case management, and legal assistance to those aged 55 and older.
"We have some individuals that don't even have an ID or social security card, so we start there," said Childs. "We help them get their forms of identification, we try to find out their medical history, connect the dots, and then get them back on track."
But the facility isn't only for homeless individuals — seniors living alone or with family members are also welcome.
"It's a full-time job trying to take care of seniors," explained Childs. "Especially when there are medical needs."
More importantly, Childs says, they're a place where seniors can have fun.
"I look forward to it every day," said Mike McCain, one of the facility's first clients. "We are family here."
Prior to its grand opening, Helping Hands for Heroes has been undergoing a soft opening with a few clients, including McCain. He says the program has changed his life for the better.
"I struggled with depression," he explained. "I got a lot of relief from depression being able to come here and be around people who care."
McCain says he looks forward to the therapy sessions, games, food, and field trips the program offers.
"There's lots of activities for us to do. Painting is one of them," he said. "If you're bored here, then they'll find something [for you] to do."
Helping Hands for Heroes also assisted Mike with taking care of his health.
"They did a great job screening me, giving me help, giving me my shots, getting me to where I gotta go," he explained. "They're hands-on, straightforward, and there are no shortcuts."
Childs says her main priority is giving seniors a place of comfort and a sense of belonging.
"They can hang out with people their own age, go on field trips, play games, and just have a sense of being," she said. "It's magic."
Helping Hands for Heroes was supposed to host a grand opening event on Saturday, September 23, but it was canceled due to weather. The facility will now be hosting a grand opening block party on October 7 from noon to 3 p.m. There will be food, music, healthcare screenings, and legal advocates in attendance.
