Betty Jenkins

After her children started school, Betty decided to go to work for her brothers construction firm, Price Construction in North Chesterfield, Virginia, about 12 miles southwest of Richmond. They performed all types of construction work and Betty became well-known throughout the community as the “friendly voice at Price.” For the next 25 years Betty dispatched the crews, answerd the phones and handled admin and accounting functions. In 2007 however, Betty’s brother was diagnosed with throat cancer. Shortly thereafter he passed away and the business closed. In late June Betty had a total knee replacement and was staying with one of her daughters to recuperate. She was looking forward to the new found freedom this would provide, but…

Betty’s daughter, Helen, remembers getting that terrible call, at 9:06 AM. The words she heard from her younger sister made her blood run cold. Not only did she learn about her mother’s fall, her sister also conveyed that she was no longer in position to provide care. Following months of rehab, Betty moved into a skilled care facility. The experiences in the nursing home deeply disturbed Helen, and she struggled to balance the level of care needed for her mother and her increasing discomfort with the practices she found in the nursing home.

In February, 2008 Helen decided to become full-time caretaker for her mom, and move her into her house. This presented some problems however as Helen’s bathroom was not able to accommodate Betty’s needs. Nevertheless, Helen and Betty made do, with showers consisting of bed baths. In late 2015 Helen decided to find assistance for a bathroom remodel because the increased pain levels led Betty’s doctor to recommend a whirlpool bath. Given that Betty’s spinal cord injury was incomplete, (meaning that she can feel sensation below the point of injury) her doctor felt a whirlpool bath would be beneficial in reducing pain. Helen found the Joseph Groh foundation through The Spinal Cord Injury Association, and made application for assistance. The foundation asked a plumbing contractor who was a member of The Service Roundtable to assess the situation. Unfortunately, a number of personal setbacks for Helen coupled with increased acute nerve pain and a hospitalization for Betty delayed the project for almost 7 months. The scope of the project included installation of jetted bath, ceiling hoist, relocation of toilet and vanity, enlargement of bath door and installation of vinyl flooring. Finally, in July things were ready to proceed, and…