Helping a Fellow Veteran Make Thome Rivertown Neighborhood His New Home

James Young was born and raised in Detroit and is a big Detroit sports fan. He married young and joined the Army. James worked for the Big Three auto makers, and he gets excited telling about his work in Dearborn during the 1960s “where they were building Mustangs.”

James says, “I was always interested in how things tick and got good at fixing electronics.” He took a job repairing TVs and VCRs, but the employer didn’t pay his social security.

James, who has been divorced for more than 50 years, fell onto hard times and some tough living situations, including a landlord who turned off his utilities and a roommate who passed away and left James “holding the bag” for delinquent bills.

Finally, James learned about The Thome Rivertown Affordable Assisted Living Neighborhood in Detroit, a Brio Living Services partnership. He moved there with virtually no belongings. Julia Szuper, Executive Director, and Community Liaison Katelyn DeHart helped James get settled with some funds for furniture provided by donations to the UMRC-Porter Hills Foundation.

When Julia’s father, Walter, a member of the American Legion Post 217 Honor Guard in Wyandotte, found out James was a veteran, he and others from his group assisted with James’ move and helped put together the furniture for his new apartment at Rivertown.

“We’re making a difference,” says Julia. “He’s getting his meals and the care he needs, and PACE Southeast Michigan (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, located at the Thome Rivertown Neighborhood campus) welcomed James with open arms.”

“This is an entirely new experience for me,” James says. “Everything is comfortable. Living at Rivertown is allowing me to have more peace of mind. It’s the best thing that’s happened to me in a lot of years.”    

Learn more about Thome Rivertown Neighborhood and Brio Living Services’ other affordable living communities across Michigan.