The following Op-Ed was written and submitted by Clelia Jane Sheppard.
To the Editor: I am writing to bring attention to a situation I witnessed recently in our community and to urge action on a growing crisis affecting our elderly residents in Northampton and Accomack counties.While driving to the post office on a 91-degree afternoon, I saw an elderly woman slowly making her way home from the Citgo gas station, pushing a wheelchair loaded with a few basic groceries…Canada Dry, Spam, and canned goods. She had roughly a mile left to go. She was limping severely, her pants slipping down, her face flushed red from the heat, and her hips moving in a way that looked painfully difficult. Multiple cars passed without stopping. I pulled over, called emergency services, and eventually helped her the rest of the way to her door. The experience left me shaken.
This is far from the only situation I’ve heard about or witnessed. For years, I’ve known of an elderly man in Franktown named Pearl who has struggled with both homelessness and addiction. His story is just one example of a much broader issue affecting our community.
I’ve also spoken with local farmers and volunteers who have dedicated years to outreach through Impact Virginia and LOVE INC ESVA. Their commitment to serving vulnerable members of our community has given them firsthand insight into the extent of the need. Through these conversations, I’ve learned that there are many people living in sheds, campers, shipping containers, and other makeshift housing that most of us never see. Many others are quietly struggling with poverty, illness, mental health challenges, and addiction.
Some people argue that helping those in these circumstances amounts to what they call “suicidal empathy.” I strongly disagree. I believe the true measure of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. When we abandon our elderly, our sick, and those battling addiction or mental illness, it reflects not strength, but a society that has lost sight of its humanity.
This is not an isolated incident. There is a dire shortage of practical, compassionate support for our elderly and vulnerable neighbors on the Eastern Shore. Many are left to fend for themselves in conditions that rob them of basic dignity.
Many people I’ve asked for help will say, “Well, you did something kind…you brought her food.” And yes, I did. But food alone isn’t enough.
Many people need assistance with bathing, cleaning, basic household tasks, transportation, and maintaining a safe place to live. Their “crime” is simply that they are sick, elderly, disabled, or otherwise unable to care for themselves without support.
I’ve gone to professionals in paid positions whose primary responsibility is to address these kinds of situations. I’ve explained what I was seeing, only to be told, face-to-face, that everything was “under control.” But if that’s truly the case, why are so many people still living in desperate conditions? Why are so many continuing to fall through the cracks?
We shouldn’t measure success by whether someone receives a meal once in a while. We should measure it by whether people have the dignity, care, and support they need to live safely and with basic human decency.
We need a “Blue Nurse” style program here modeled after the successful Australian community nursing services that send trained caregivers into homes to assist with daily bathing, light housekeeping, medication reminders, and general support several times a week. Such a program would allow seniors to age in place with dignity rather than struggle alone or face premature institutionalization.
This is not only a moral imperative but also a significant business opportunity. A local enterprise providing reliable, in-home elderly care could thrive on the Eastern Shore. One strong model to consider is Aware Recovery Care, which delivers comprehensive, personalized medical, behavioral, and support services directly in clients’ homes. Founded in 2011, Aware has scaled successfully across multiple states (including Virginia), achieving strong outcomes by keeping people in familiar surroundings instead of requiring them to leave for care. Their in-home approach reduces stigma, improves continuity, and proves that home-based care can be both compassionate and sustainable as a business.
Someone with energy, organization, and a heart for service could build something similar here…perhaps starting with private-pay clients and expanding through insurance, grants, and partnerships with local health systems and ministries. The need is clear, the market exists, and the model has already been proven elsewhere.
Our community prides itself on looking after one another. Let’s turn that value into a practical solution before more of our elders suffer unnecessarily. I hope this letter sparks conversation among local leaders, entrepreneurs, churches, and nonprofits with funding.
Thank you for shining a light on issues that matter to the Eastern Shore.
You can help by donating to this fundraiser: Help Tracy: Restoring Dignity and Safety for the Elderly. Tracy is struggling significantly. She has serious mobility issues, is completely deaf, and lives in conditions that are no longer safe or sanitary. Her small home has damage (including a large hole in the wall and deteriorating floors), heavy buildup, and a lack of basic cleanliness that makes daily living extremely difficult.
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