A Life Transformed: Mr. Baker

At Joseph’s Home, Mr. Baker found the help he needed to maintain his sobriety, stabilize his health and find permanent housing that meets his medical needs

When U.S. Army veteran Mr. Baker decided to get help for his addiction to drugs and alcohol, he knew it would be hard.

What he didn’t know was that the substances he’d been abusing for years had been masking symptoms of multiple physical and psychological ailments, including congestive heart failure, COPD, PTSD, depression and rheumatoid arthritis. “I didn’t know how sick I was until I got cleaned up,” said Mr. Baker.

Through the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, he received the medical, psychiatric and behavioral treatments he needed to start getting his life back on track. Too medically fragile to transition to independence, he came to Joseph’s Home when his time in the VA’s recovery program ended.

He participated in programming at Joseph’s Home, such as life-skill classes and Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous meetings. He achieved his one-year sobriety anniversary while at Joseph’s Home. Staff Nurse Sister Sandy LoPorto, SSJ-TOSF, taught him to properly manage his many prescriptions. And Housing Locator Erica Fellows helped him find a permanent housing arrangement that includes a low level of medical supervision, which he was able to afford with the help of the VA Aide and Attendance program. He moved into his new home in May.

“The Joseph’s Home staff is wonderful. I don’t think I could have made it without their help to do the things I needed to do,” said Mr. Baker.