71-year-old living in storage unit gets help through Sacramento Senior Safe House

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    SACRAMENTO, CA (KCRA) — For 71-year-old Keiko, a six-bedroom, ranch-style home known as the Sacramento Senior Safe House has been a lifesaver.

“I was renting a room, pandemic hit, the landlady lost her job in March and she was trying to keep it together.

But by the end of October, she couldn’t do that anymore and I had to leave,” Keiko recalled.

Keiko ended up living in a storage unit.

She was later referred to the Safe House, run by Volunteers of America, with the goal of giving seniors who have been neglected or abused a safe place to be.

“We all think that our seniors are loved and cared for and nurtured, and that’s not always the case,” said Christie Holderegger, Volunteers of America vice president.

Sacramento County Adult Protective Services shows nearly 4,800 reports of elder abuse so far this year.

With families stressed and moving in together, or in some cases, no family at all, the real number is believed to be much higher.

It’s rare that this Safe House has extra rooms available, but right now, they do.

Adult Protective Services would normally refer seniors. With COVID-19, they’re not making as many house calls, so the community’s help is needed to get seniors into a safe place.

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