When Patty Reinkensmeyer and Shirley Miller are asked about the Helping Hands program they administer at eliseo Senior Living Community, their faces light up. These two eliseo residents volunteer along with dozens of others to keep the program growing.
The program, originally called Community in Action, was started in 1982 by Dawne Aho. In 2005, the name was changed to Helping Hands. According to Reinkensmeyer, “The program is multi-dimensional with many services led by an all-volunteer group with oversight from a board of directors all living in the eliseo community.”
Located in northwest Tacoma near Pearl Street, eliseo is a Continuing Care Retirement Community with options for mature adults in independent living, assisted living, short-term and long-term care, as well as memory care. “When my husband and I needed care for his growing dementia issues, we came to eliseo because of the options for our future needs,” said Miller. Reinkensmeyer agreed saying, “We moved to eliseo because we know that when we need more help, we will be right here with friends we know and love.”
Funds from Helping Hands have been used to purchase large items that benefit the entire eliseo community including a van, exercise equipment, computers and software, and a beautiful fountain for the garden near the art center on the campus. Contributing every year to the staff’s end-of-year bonus program, Helping Hands also provides funds to the eliseo Foundation. This foundation ensures that people who run out of money never have to leave eliseo.
Other programs undertaken by eliseo residents include a group that meets weekly to make hospital bandages from used bed linens. The cut cloth is rolled to specification for Global Missions, an international aid group.
Another Helping Hands effort utilizes an onsite storage facility to store furniture and hard goods left behind by residents when they depart. This takes a burden off family members who may already be struggling with many arrangements. “Through these donations, we’ve been able to provide furniture to a refugee family from Ukraine and appliances to a women and children’s shelter in Spanaway,” said Miller. Through one-off sales, large campus-wide rummage sales and booths at area Christmas bazaars, the volunteers at Helping Hands ensure the eliseo community continues to thrive.
Life at Eliseo
eliseo.org/life-at-eliseo