Foundation provides dignity

SALT LAKE CITY — Aging takes its toll on the human body: eyesight dims, hearing fails, teeth decay. Modern technology can compensate for much of this, but the budgets of some seniors don’t stretch far enough to pay for eyeglasses, dentures and hearing aids.

Medicaid doesn’t cover these devices, and that’s where the St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation for Charity Care comes in.

"I’ve seen firsthand what it’s like for the elderly to not have those simple things," said Pat Bayer, who volunteers with St. Joseph Villa. The villa was founded in 1947 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. In the 1990s it came under the direction of the CHRISTUS health care system; last February it was sold to the Ensign Group, a for-profit health care company.

Charity care had been a feature of the villa since its beginning. However, the sale meant that those who previously had financially supported charity care could no longer make tax-deductible donations to the villa.

"The people involved felt that there was a need in the community to make sure that seniors who are in facilities would have the ability to get the help that they need," said Beth Ehrhardt, president of the St. Joseph Villa Foundation for Charity Care.

The foundation was formed last year "to honor the legacy of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word by continuing the tradition of providing charity care for seniors in need while building resources for the future charity care needs," according to its mission statement.

"There are so many seniors out there who are outliving their savings or their insurance or pensions or whatever," said Bayer, who has helped organize the villa’s primary fundraiser for several years and chose to continue to volunteer even after the sale to Ensign.

"I still believe in the cause and the mission of the foundation even though it’s not part of the for-profit villa now," she said. "The need is the same. The seniors who max out on their Medicaid for simple life-supporting things … like hearing aids and dentures and glasses – those needs are still there no matter who owns the villa. The money we raise doesn’t go to get them fancy anything. Things like the hearing aids and the glasses – those just allow them to maintain some dignity and some quality of life."

The foundation is expanding its reach beyond the villa. It will provide services to seniors in any facility who meet the financial requirements. Already the foundation has provided eyeglasses to one woman in another facility, said Ehrhardt, adding that the foundation’s goal for its first year is to serve 50 seniors.

"By expanding our reach we can hopefully raise more funds and also serve a broader population by allowing other seniors in assisted living or whatever to apply for funds," she said.

The traditional Hope Benefit associated with St. Joseph Villa will continue as the foundation’s primary fundraiser, Ehrhardt said, but they also are looking at other fundraisers, such as a Christmas ‘caring tree.’

Donations to the foundation are tax deductible and used for seniors who live in care facilities. Donors may specify that their gift be restricted to a particular facility but may not restrict gifts to a specific resident. For donor information, or to receive an application for charity care, visit www.stjosephvillafoundation.org or call 801-468-6806.