Caregiving has always come naturally to Deb VanBeek. A wife, mother, teacher and devoted daughter, she has always cared for the people she loved. Including her parents as they navigate Parkinson’s disease and cognitive decline.
But when Deb retired last year after 35 years in the classroom, she expected life to slow down.
Instead, she found herself stepping into an unexpected, challenging, and meaningful new caregiving role.
Her cousins, Daniel and Janet, brother and sister, have lived with disabilities since birth. After the death of their mother in 2020, they continued living independently in Grand Haven, with Janet helping care for Daniel after he lost his sight.
For years, they made it work together.
Then everything changed.
Within a matter of months, Janet suffered a broken hip that required surgery and rehabilitation. At nearly the same time, Daniel’s health declined, leading to dialysis treatments, open heart surgery and lengthy rehabilitation stays.
Suddenly, the siblings who had spent years caring for one another both needed help.
Deb found herself taking on the role of caregiver and trying to navigate a complicated maze of doctors, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, housing decisions and long-term care needs.
“I’ve always been a caregiver,” Deb said. “But I couldn’t have taken this on without Senior Resources.”
Fortunately, Deb had already begun preparing for the future. Months earlier, while she was still caring for her parents and watching her cousins’ needs change, she connected with Senior Resources Options Counselor Mary.
“I wanted to know what was ahead and what help was available if things changed,” Deb said. “Mary was a great listener and helped me understand the path forward.”
When Daniel and Janet’s needs increased, that guidance became invaluable.
Deb became durable power of attorney for both cousins, helping them navigate healthcare decisions during a particularly difficult time. But she quickly learned she wasn’t carrying the responsibility alone.
Alongside her was a team of professionals helping coordinate services, navigate complex systems and advocate for Daniel and Janet’s needs.
“I truly became their advocate alongside Senior Resources,” she said.
That partnership made all the difference.
Today, each cousin has a supports coordinator helping to ensure they receive the services and resources they need to live as independently as possible. Together with community partners, they have helped create a network of support that surrounds both Daniel and Janet.
For Daniel, support through the MI Choice Waiver has dramatically improved his quality of life.
After his health declined and Janet could no longer serve as his primary caregiver, the waiver program helped him access the care and services he needed while remaining in a community setting rather than an institutional one. Today, Daniel lives at Robbinswood Assisted Living, receives caregiving assistance and essential supplies, and uses Harbor Transit to travel to dialysis appointments. He also continues attending the Little Red House, an important source of routine, friendship and connection.
For Janet, support coordination helped her return to her apartment following rehabilitation. Assistance with housekeeping, transportation and Meals on Wheels helps her remain independent while continuing to live in the community she loves.
For Deb, one of the greatest comforts is knowing she is no longer trying to coordinate everything on her own.
“Senior Resources supported me while I was supporting them,” she said. “I couldn’t navigate this without them.”
The support extends far beyond one organization.
Deb points to Gracious Grounds, Harbor Transit, Meals on Wheels through AgeWell Services, Love INC and many others who have helped along the way. She laughingly refers to Senior Resources Housing Coordinator Renae as the family’s “fairy godmother” for the role she played in helping Daniel secure the housing and support he needed.
“It has taken a village,” Deb said.
That village continues to help Daniel and Janet do more than simply meet their basic needs. It helps them stay connected.
Although they no longer live together, they still spend time with one another, enjoy outings, go shopping, share meals and remain active in their community.
“Everyone knows them,” Deb said with a smile. “If Daniel is out somewhere without Janet, people ask where she is. If Janet is out without Daniel, they ask about him.”
For Deb, those everyday moments are what matter most.
The goal was not simply receiving services. It’s helping Daniel and Janet maintain relationships, remain involved in their community and continue living as independently as possible.
“They’re in good places,” Deb said. “They’re safe, they’re happy and they have people around them who care.”
Throughout the journey, Deb says she has relied heavily on both her faith and the network of people who stepped forward to help.
“I believe God brought us all together,” she said. “The fact that I was available and that Senior Resources was there to support us, has given Daniel and Janet a quality of life they might not otherwise have had.”
Today, she is grateful that retirement gave her the time to help the people she loves most. But she is equally grateful she didn’t have to do it alone.
