After 3 years in Assisted Living, a St. James Place resident finds his way back to independence
Jerry Schreurs has always been full of life.
Jerry, 79, maintained an active and social life even before moving to St. James Place. He had a passion for automotive restoration and followed the mantra, “Live life to the fullest.” Even after his wife of 22 years passed away in 1986 from breast cancer, Jerry kept a good outlook on life.
He remarried in 1988, tying the knot on August 8 (8/8/88)—a date his second wife Daudet chose to ensure Jerry remembered their anniversary. They lived together in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on a 3-acre property on Lake Hamilton, where Jerry continued pursuing many of his hobbies and growing his family.
After 25 years together, Daudet passed away from breast cancer in 2012.
“The cancer took away so much of their ability to enjoy life,” Jerry said of both of his deceased wives. But the losses took a toll on him, too.
Jerry’s five children began to notice he wasn’t doing what he loved anymore. He stopped caring for his property; he wasn’t driving his collector cars; and he wasn’t going for runs along the lake anymore.
“I became quite severely depressed,” Jerry said. “Part of that came from trying to live alone without any close friends or family.”
His children evaluated his living situation and encouraged Jerry to sell his Lake Hamilton home in 2017 and move closer to family. After spending time living with his son Christopher in Baton Rouge—1.5 miles away from St. James Place—Jerry didn’t want his family to feel obligated caring for him in their busy lives. He wanted to find a place of his own.
Jerry’s daughter-in-law, Amanda, spent time scouting the area for senior living communities for Jerry, ultimately landing on St. James Place because of all the Continuing Care Retirement Community has to offer: a gated community close to his family, 24-hour security, a caring staff, a Life Plan with financial security and Memory Care and Nursing Care options.
When Jerry toured St. James Place, he knew it was the right place for him.
Because of his depression, Jerry moved into St. James Place’s Assisted Living facilities, giving his family peace of mind that there was always someone available to check on him throughout the day and provide meals and activities.
During Jerry’s nearly three years in Assisted Living, he did everything he could to avoid socializing with anyone other than his “earth angels”— the staff of Assisted Living who continued encouraging him to get out and about.
But they couldn’t get Jerry out of his room, and he refused to participate in any activities, even going as far as picking up his meals late so as not to interact with other residents.
“It was a horrible existence,” Jerry said. “Not because St. James Place wasn’t trying to help me—they were trying everything possible. Nothing seemed to work on me.”
But on one Sunday night in January 2019, Jerry got ready for bed, got down on his knees, and prayed.
“I said to God, ‘I am really unhappy living depressed all the time,’” Jerry recalled. He woke up the next day, opened the blinds and said, “Look at that beautiful sky. This is going to be a great day.”
But it wasn’t just a great day. It turned into a great year, and the days kept on getting better. Jerry was able to overcome his depression and start fresh at St. James Place.
He started becoming more active and regaining his outlook on life, and Jerry knew that he no longer fit in with Assisted Living. The Life Enrichment manager in Assisted Living recognized his changing needs and encouraged Jerry to move to Independent Living at St. James Place.
Jerry’s doctor, along with the St. James Place staff and his family, determined that he could—and should—live independently again.
He moved into a spacious one-bedroom apartment in The Audubon building, where he was centered in the middle of campus surrounded by both restaurants, the pool and plenty of community areas that he began using daily.
With ongoing support from St. James Place, Jerry naturally became more active and healthier than before, regained his independence and turned over a new leaf. Jerry knew that meeting new people and getting involved in the community would help him get his spark in life back.
Doing a full 180, Jerry joined the St. James Place activities committee and started making new companionships. He discovered the woodworking shop on campus and joined Roland Dommert and other residents in renovating the space. He picked back up his favorite pastime of restoring cars, and has even begun mentoring two high school students in the art.
The best part of living at St. James Place for Jerry is being able to feel like his old self again.
“I’m thankful for St. James Place for giving me the opportunity to live life to the fullest again,” Jerry said. “Every day is a brighter day.”