Jim Sager learned early in life that living with a disability was not going to mean sitting on the sidelines. After contracting polio as a child, Jim used a wheelchair and leg braces while growing up on the family farm. His grandfather built ramps so he could move around the farm easily and made sure he always had ways to pitch in alongside everyone else.
“Life on a farm meant everyone had chores to do, including me,” Jim recalled. “That early lesson helped me persevere throughout my life.”
That belief in contributing and caring for others remains with him today. Service runs deep in the Sager family. Coming from a long line of military service, Jim carried that tradition forward during a 24-year career in the U.S. Army that included two combat tours in Vietnam. After retiring as a platoon sergeant, he continued serving others through his ministry, church and community.
Today, although he has post-polio syndrome and uses a power chair, he remains committed to helping others. Twice each month, he visits a local men’s shelter to serve meals and spend time with the men who gather there. As a visiting pastor, he offers encouragement, listens to their stories and often helps fellow veterans navigate benefits and paperwork.
“Taking care of each other is important,” he said.
Giving back has long been a part of life for Jim and his wife, Carol. Married in 1969, the couple recently celebrated 57 years together and have spent decades caring for others in different ways. While Jim volunteers, ministers to fellow veterans and serves those in need, Carol creates handmade hats and blankets for newborn babies. Together, they continue finding meaningful ways to make a difference in the lives of others.
Veteran Directed Care helps Jim and Carol continue that active and meaningful life. Through a partnership between the VA Medical Center and Senior Resources of West Michigan, the program helps eligible veterans receive care while remaining in their homes and communities. Veterans have a voice in how their care is provided, including the ability to choose someone they know and trust as their caregiver.
For Jim, that choice was easy: his wife, Carol.
Through Veteran Directed Care, Carol serves as Jim’s paid caregiver, helping with the daily tasks that allow him to continue living comfortably at home and participate in the activities he enjoys.
“Carol takes wonderful care of me. I am very blessed,” Jim said.
For Carol, the program provides something equally important: the ability to care for her husband herself rather than relying on outside caregivers.
“I’m grateful that I can be the one caring for him,” Carol said. “We’ve been together a long time and being able to help him stay at home means a lot to both of us.”
Several years ago, Jim authored a poem called The Caretaker, inspired by the dedication of family caregivers. In it, he describes a wife helping her husband with everyday tasks and reflects on the quiet acts of love that often go unnoticed.
“Now she does for him that which he can no longer do for himself.”
Today, those words hold special meaning for Jim and Carol.
Supporting them along the way is Amanda, Senior Resources’ Veteran Directed Care Support Coordinator. She works closely with Jim and Carol to coordinate services, answer questions, connect them with resources and provide ongoing support as their needs change.
“Amanda is wonderful,” Jim said. “She calls and checks in and sees if there’s anything I need.”
One of the services Jim receives is a personal emergency response system, a device worn around his neck that can summon help during an emergency.
“It’s already saved my life,” he said.
With that support in place, Jim can continue doing the things that matter most to him.
He uses his power chair to get around downtown Muskegon, where he and Carol have lived at Jefferson Towers for more than 20 years. He enjoys breakfast at Carmen’s Café, visits to the USS Silversides, spending time with family and staying engaged in the activities he enjoys.
“I don’t have to stay at home. I can get out and about, and that feels good,” he said.
The couple also continues to winter in Florida, where many of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren live. Having Carol as his caregiver allows Jim to travel while continuing to receive the support he needs. Because Veteran Directed Care allows veterans to choose their own caregiver, the couple can travel together without disrupting his care. Without the program, Jim said, those trips would be nearly impossible.
Senior Resources currently serves more than 35 veterans through Veteran Directed Care. For Jim and Carol, the program means they can continue the life they have built together, a life centered on faith, family, service and caring for one another.
“I truly am grateful for this VA program,” Jim said, looking toward Carol and smiling. “It feels like the VA is recognizing my years of service by helping Carol care for me and helping me stay at home with her, where I belong.”
