By Jan Hopper, First Ave Program Manager

Tristan lives at Hammer First Ave, but his family lives in Lynden, Washington. He misses his family very much and would like to see them more often. A trip home to see his grandmother’s new home was made possible by YOU our generous donors who gave to Hammer’s Quality of Life Fund. Thank you.

Tristin and his grandmother putting a puzzle together at her new home.

Tristan has always been close to his grandmother, even from afar, and she never forgot to send him a card with a ten-dollar bill inside for every holiday. This spring his grandmother found it difficult to continue to live on her own and she moved into an assisted living center. However, even this level of care was not enough and after a few months she moved into a long-term care ward.

It was difficult for her to adjust to this new way of life, and Tristan became worried when there was no card from his grandmother on July 4th. He wondered if she had forgotten about him. That is when Hammer stepped in and thanks to Hammer’s Quality of Life, we arranged a trip to visit his parents and grandmother the beginning of September.

Molly Mathers, First Ave APM, accompanied him on the journey and flew with him to Seattle where they rented a car and drove up the coast to Lynden. Tristan had the opportunity to visit with his grandmother and spend time with his parents visiting his favorite spots.  

Tristan’s mother wrote: “I want to express my appreciation for Hammer Residences providing the opportunity for Tristan to visit his grandmother who was recently admitted to the Lynden Christian Healthcare Center in the long-term care ward.  It has been a difficult time for my mother adjusting to this new way of life totally depending on other people to help her through the day. It was wonderful to see a light in my mother’s eyes when her grandson came to visit her.”

Tristin and his parents visiting his Grandmother in her new home at the Lynden Christian Healthcare Center.

One evening Tristan stayed until his grandmother went to bed. His mother wrote: “Tristan said “good night and don’t let the bedbugs bite” which made his grandma laugh.  “I am grateful to Hammer Residences for realizing how important family connections are even when they are thousands of miles away.  It was a meaningful experience for all of us to be together and celebrate our lives through generations of family love and affection.”

Tristan still worries about his grandmother, but he feels a lot better now that he has been to see her and knows that she is being well taken care of. It was a trip made possible by the generosity of donations to Hammer’s Quality of Life fund.

It certainly affected Tristan’s quality of life for the better!

You can make a donation in any amount to the Hammer Quality of Life Fund to make a difference in the life of an individual Hammer supports. Visit: Hammer.org/donate-thank-you/