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 The couple had made a home for themselves in New Orleans, where they had raised three children. Serious health issues led to Bruce’s retirement at age 62 from a senior management position. Bruce and Jeannette had only begun to focus on their health for a year, when they were traumatically displaced.
Three years have passed since Hurricane Katrina battered the South in 2005, carving a deep and broad path of destruction that devastated the city of New Orleans. One of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States, Katrina deeply affected and changed the lives of many. Among those who lost their homes and what they knew of their lives are two residents of Parkview Senior Apartments, Bruce and Jeannette.
Bruce describes himself as a strong man, but he explains: “It didn’t take much for tears to come rolling down my face to see everything that was going on… we saw the area where we had lived for all our lives and the destruction, and the smell, and death, and everything.”
With entire neighborhoods gone, the people of New Orleans were faced with a stark rise in rental costs. For many, it became impossible to secure a home in the areas that were spared by the storm. With few options and no place to go, Bruce and Jeannette moved into a small apartment with their adult son who lived in San Jose, California.
While living with his son, Bruce came across the EAH Housing website, and found “looking for housing.” Here, he discovered Park View Senior Apartments in San Jose. He was immediately impressed by the affordability, and thought the apartments were beautiful.
Bruce and Jeannette feel extremely grateful to have found affordable senior housing in one of the most expensive housing markets in the nation. Bruce explains, “I appreciate EAH having facilities like this, especially for people that were in the situation that my wife and I were in. We enjoy it very much and the people are very nice.”
The EAH Housing social service coordinator introduced Bruce to “Brown Bag Tuesdays,” a program that provides donated food to low-income seniors. Bruce joined with other residents to volunteer and says, “The fellowship and camaraderie that the residents show to one another is tremendous”.
Bruce and his wife have come a long way and overcome many obstacles. They are now comfortable in their golden years. From the cheerful “good mornings” they receive from their neighbors and staff, to the array of programs in which they participate, they have finally found a place they can call home.
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