EL CAJON, Calif. — If you're a senior living on a fixed income, having someone help you with free home care can be a real lifesaver. In this Zevely Zone, I found 'BLISS' in El Cajon.
If you're lucky, you get to grow old, and if you're even luckier, you'll be surrounded by people who care.
"You know that I love it whenever you come," said 88-year-old Elda Thompson while talking to her caregiver who was rubbing lotion on her hands.
Elda lives at the Safari Mobile Lodge in El Cajon and loves the days when she receives a special visitor.
"I like company," said Elda. Her visitor is Ann Llanes who is a caregiver with the non-profit organization called BLISS. "If you live in a place like this you are glad to see people when they come," said Elda. The visits are free because BLISS stands for Blessed Low Income Senior Support.
"It's blissful to help, it's blissful to serve, you get to make a difference in seniors lives," said Dyna Jones who created BLISS five years ago. "It's good because every time you wake up you get to serve," said Dyna who immigrated to the United States from the Philippines.
Dyna enjoyed so much success in the home care industry, it allowed her to create a free network of services. "God has blessed me and I want to give back to the community," said Dyna.
Lucy Levett from Blessings Beyond Care Services supports the non-profit with caregivers families can trust. "Oh, I love Dyna, I have faith in everything she is doing," said Lucy. "We provide caregivers that are licensed, bonded and insured for the safety of the seniors."
"Thank you, sweetie, oh that feels good," said Elda to the caregiver. Elda is fighting a cancerous growth on her pancreas and osteoporosis. BLISS helps her with bathing, personal hygiene and exercise. "My bones love you," said Elda.
BLISS is also there for more than 500 seniors on holidays too. They are now serving beneficiaries in four East County Senior Communities; 2 mobile home parks, and 2 subsidized senior apartment buildings. They provide special holiday events on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Most of the seniors live on a fixed income. Elda says she could not afford to have someone come to her home and care for her if she had to pay for it. "No, sir, I know for a fact I could not do it," said Elda.
She thinks it is amazing that she is not charged for the care. "Yes. Amen to that," said Dyna. "All of my seniors call me Dynamite, my angel dynamite."
"I just want to say that I am very grateful for what you are doing and be certain that it is making a lot of people happy," said Elda. "You are making a difference."
Blessed Low Income Senior Support (BLISS) started as a fiscally sponsored non-profit project of Mission Edge San Diego in 2019, and at the end of 2022, became its own 501c3 organization.
BLISS is hoping to expand in the years to come. If you're a low-income senior in need of services, or would like to volunteer or make a donation, visit blisscarefoundation.org.
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