73-Year-Old Homeless Veteran Finds Home With New Family

At the age of 73, veteran Michael Cloyd had no roof over his head and no house to call his own. The closest he had to either of these was a VA hospital, yet with no one in an inner circle awaiting his return home or whose return he could excitedly anticipate.

All that finally changed when Cloyd found his place to feel safe and welcomed. That’s thanks to Vilitha Clay and her family, who opened their doors to Cloyd as part of an initiative that turns a house into an adult family care facility.

Senior veteran Michael Cloyd had no stable living situation until Vilitha Clay set him up with a home and family

When it came to finding a place to plant permanent roots, Cloyd was having significant trouble. “I don’t know what it was with finding housing,” marveled Cloyd, but I couldn’t.” His bad luck saw him living in motels, hotels, and, near the end of last year, the VA hospital. Making matters worse, his deteriorating health saw Cloyd fall several times, further risking his safety.

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Cloyd’s daughter, Christina Johnson, revealed that Cloyd had issues from the past that relevant people had difficulty looking past, according to WBAY, though those are not specified. So, the hunt for a home was a relatively solo mission, until Vilitha.

Adult family care emerges as another solution to home insecurity among veterans like Cloyd and other seniors at risk

There are some programs like assisted living that many people know about. But there are other initiatives that can provide a more specialized, equally life-changing setup for those in need. In this case, the setup is known as adult family care, also called adult family homes or adult daycare.

Through this program, individuals take up residence in a home with a family, as part of a greater team of heath care professionals. Not only does this supplement their social needs and fosters a feeling of community, but it also sets the resident up with assistance through everyday and vital tasks.

Four months into living with Vilitha at her family home, Cloyd’s health has turned around significantly, with the veteran gaining weight and finding his mental health in a much better place.

As far as Vilitha is concerned, “Despite your background and circumstances, everyone deserves a second chance at redemption, at hope and at support.”