More than ten years ago, I was fortunate to be in the room when a young woman voiced concerns for her ailing father and her inability to find proper care for him. She had a vision for a place that would care for adults with disabilities, who were too young or not ready for a nursing home.
More than ten years later, that vision is a reality. The young woman, Tina McIntosh, with a few of her friends, launched Joy’s House – Care and Community for Adults – in Indianapolis, Indiana. The first years were tough, relying on donations from friends and lots of hand-me-downs. They began in an old house needing serious renovations.
A year ago, they unveiled a complete renovation and addition which doubled their space. Not only have they made a difference in thousands of lives in the community, they have also been a model for other non-profit organizations. Through it all, the focus has always been on the people they serve, who they always refer to as guests. They want their guests to feel as comfortable at Joy’s House as they do in their own homes.
Yesterday, in the mail, I received the annual report and 2011 calendar for Joy’s House, celebrating their tenth anniversary! Each month includes artwork by the guests that can only be described as full of joy. Their mission is clear. And I know that if you ask Tina, she would say that she has learned more from the guests than anything else.
She writes,
I hope the message you see here is that of laughter and love and warmth.
Congratulations to everyone at Joy’s House. You inspire me.
To hear Tina speak about the mission of Joy’s House herself, watch this short video on YouTube.
Did you know?
* More than 65 million Americans provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year and spend an average of 20 hours per week providing care for their loved one.
* 73% of family caregivers who care for someone over the age of 18 either work or have worked while providing care.
* American businesses can lose as much as $34 billion each year due to employee’s need to care for loved ones 50 years of age or older.
* Women who are family caregivers are 2.5 times more likely than non-caregivers to live in poverty and five times more likely to receive Supplemental Security income.
* The value of services family caregivers provide for “free” is estimated to be $375 billion a year.
From the Joy’s House Annual Report, as quoted from the National Institute on Aging.