PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — At Baldwin House Senior Living in Pontiac, seniors are the ones helping seniors. The community is home to more than a 100 residents, and 90% of the staff are older adults themselves.
One of those staff members is 75-year-old Sara MacAdam. She has been a server at the facility since 2017 and is also a nun.
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"God put us on this earth to help each other, and without that, we don't survive, so Baldwin House is all about that. I'm just so grateful to have recovered and to be able to serve others," MacAdam said.
MacAdam, an avid cyclist, was hit by a car while riding her bike in 1995. A couple of years later, she suffered a bad fall.
"I actually couldn't walk for quite a while. My doctor said you're going to wind up in a nursing home. I was in a wheelchair, crawling on the floor," MacAdam said.
As she recovered and was searching for a job, her church connected her to Baldwin House Senior Living, and MacAdam got back on her feet. Because of her health, she does not like to drive, so she walks 1 mile to work and 1 mile back home every day.
"I'll admit, I'm a little hesitant to jump outside in the ice and snow, but once you get going it's fun, and the more exercise you do, the better you feel and the better your attitude," MacAdam said.
Belinda Tate Smith is the executive director of Baldwin Senior Living.
"Her positivity has rubbed off on all of us. Her strength, her determination is something for us to achieve, and it's something for us to aspire to," Smith said.
Tate says a majority of her staff, including her directors, are in their 60s and 70s, allowing them to connect with their residents on a deeper level.
"So it's easier for us to relate to our current population. It's much easier for them to relate to us," Smith said.
MacAdam works Monday through Friday, serving residents breakfast and her signature oatmeal. She says working has given her friends, family and purpose.
"It just took a lot of patience and a lot of prayer, and a lot of working and retraining," MacAdam said.
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