Caregiving is often described as a one-way act of service. But for many involved with Seniors Helping Seniors® Shelbyville, it’s something much more powerful — a mutual relationship built on companionship, purpose, and joy.
Just ask Theresa Lucas.
A caregiver for Seniors Helping Seniors® Shelbyville, Theresa regularly visits client Jack and Carrie in their Franklin, Indiana home. Her role includes helping with everyday tasks like laundry, dishes, and light housekeeping. But what makes her visits truly special goes far beyond chores. Together, they spend time working on puzzles, drawing, and simply enjoying each other’s company.
For Theresa, the experience is just as rewarding as it is helpful.
“It’s a bright spot from Tuesday to Thursday,” she shared. “Because I know it’s a time when I can help them when they need it.”
Care That Goes Both Ways
What makes Seniors Helping Seniors® Shelbyville unique is its peer-to-peer model. Caregivers are older adults themselves, which creates a natural sense of understanding, respect, and shared life experience.
For clients like Jack and Carrie, that connection makes all the difference.
“It’s a lot nicer for us to know them and know what they do,” Carrie said. “We have a good time.”
This mutual appreciation is at the core of the Seniors Helping Seniors® Shelbyville mission: helping older adults remain independent in their own homes while creating meaningful opportunities for other seniors to stay active, engaged, and purposeful.
Honoring Caregivers Who Make a Difference
For National Caregivers Day — a day dedicated to recognizing those who provide essential physical, emotional, and personal support — Seniors Helping Seniors® Shelbyville took time to celebrate caregivers like Theresa.
During one of her visits, Theresa was surprised with a simple but meaningful gift: an insulated coffee cup with the message, “You’re the Key to Our Success.”
“I appreciate that,” she said. “It’s nice to be recognized in the job you do. But this is very natural for me.”
Her response reflects what so many caregivers feel. Their work isn’t just a job — it’s a calling.
Meeting a Growing Need
According to AARP, approximately 63 million people in the United States serve as caregivers, highlighting just how vital these roles are to families and communities.
Seniors Helping Seniors® Shelbyville is proud to be part of that support system, offering services that help older adults live safely and comfortably at home. These services include:
- Companionship
- Meal preparation
- Transportation
- Medication reminders
- Light housekeeping
- Respite care for family caregivers
- Support for individuals living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
More Than Care — It’s Connection
At its heart, Seniors Helping Seniors® Shelbyville is about more than assistance. It’s about relationships.
It’s about laughter over puzzles.
It’s about shared stories and understanding.
It’s about giving seniors a way to help one another — and in return, finding purpose themselves.
As Theresa’s story shows, caregiving doesn’t just change the life of the person receiving care.
It enriches the life of the caregiver, too.
And that’s what makes it so special.