When Delanie Allen’s sewer backed up in July 2016, she panicked.
The 63-year-old Monroe resident had lived in her house for only seven months. Purchasing it had depleted almost all of her savings, and she didn’t have money set aside for a repair bill.
“It was going to cost thousands of dollars,” said Allen, who has physical disabilities.
Allen remembered a friend telling her about Senior Services of Snohomish County. She contacted the Everett-based organization, which offers home repairs for low-income seniors.
“They put me at the top of the list,” Allen said. “They were just awesome.”
It took less than two weeks for the crew to complete sewer repairs in her home.
Dale Miller is the director of the Senior Services of Snohomish County Home Repair Program.
“We do whatever it takes to keep seniors in their home, and keep them safe,” said Miller. “That goes across the board from changing light bulbs to doing major sewer projects and shower conversions.”
During their repairs, the Senior Services crew workers performed a routine safety check on the house. They noticed that Allen’s bathroom had a free-standing bathtub. That’s a hazardous situation for Allen, who has impaired mobility.
“I was always scared to death I was going to fall,” said Allen.
Miller agreed.
“She had a large step to get into the tub, and she’s not able to safely get in and out in that situation,” Miller said. “That’s where I evaluate it and make the decision to replace it with a shower pan.”
In December 2016, the crew returned to install a more handicap-accessible bathtub.
Allen was surprised to hear from Senior Services so soon.
“I was doing errands, and all of a sudden they called one day and said, “We’re here!”’ Allen said. “I said, ‘You’re what?’”
They finished Allen’s new bathroom within days.
Minor Home Repair is just one branch of the Senior Services umbrella.
Senior Services also offers meal delivery, mental health counseling and transportation services.
The organization is run by staff and volunteers. The main office is located on 11627 Airport Road B in Everett.
Allen, once a successful wholesale mortgage lender, never expected that she’d be receiving help from Senior Services.
Her modest 850-square-foot house in Monroe was a lifestyle adjustment. She said that her former Issaquah home was a sprawling 3,500 square feet.
In 2008, Allen stayed home from work with her first grandchild.
After that, Allen’s life took a few dramatic turns. She took an extended sabbatical to care for her father, who died in 2009. In 2010, shortly after returning to work, she suffered from two major car accidents.
“I didn’t bounce back very well after that,” she said. She lost her house later that year.
“I was fighting with the bank, and lost my house, lost all my retirement. I lost everything,” Allen said.
The car accidents have caused permanent hip and spine damage.
Allen used her insurance settlement to buy her home in Monroe. She had been living in a motel when she drove by the listing, a grey house encircled by leafy-green bushes and a white picket fence. She put in an offer, and moved in several months later.
A house of her own and a burden lifted by Senior Services have given Allen a new lease on life. In December 2016, she started driving for Uber.
“I’m not sitting around feeling sorry for myself anymore,” she said. “I’m having a great time.”
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