Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
Helping Seniors Thrive Since 1972
In the late 90s, just as Carol and Allan O’Keefe were settling into retirement after years of career and family demands, disaster struck. They lost their life savings in a devastating robbery. In the aftermath, a friend suggested they move from their home in Connecticut to Norfolk, a more affordable area with good weather.
Carol and Allan quickly fell in love with their adopted hometown. “The difference here is people talk to you in the supermarket,” Carol says. One of the best parts of life in their Norfolk duplex is the family who lives downstairs. The O’Keefes have known the family’s five children since they were babies. “They think we are their grandparents—and we really feel we are. They love us as much as we love them.”
Carol, 88, lives with diabetes, multiple myeloma, and arthritis, and Allan, also 88, has battled prostate cancer and lives with macular degeneration and Parkinson’s disease. Grocery shopping and cooking have become difficult for them. They called Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia to ask for help, and an options counselor enrolled them in Meals on Wheels. “I can tell you the meals are wonderful,” Carol says, “and the nicest people deliver them.”
Supporting older adults like the O’Keefes as they age in place is the mission of Senior Services, a nonprofit serving South Hampton Roads since 1972. In addition to home-delivered meals, the organization’s I-RIDE transportation offers seniors free rides anywhere within a 30-minute drive. Better Together Café, a meal program located in local rec centers, provides social opportunities and wellness classes. Senior Services also offers in-home services, Medicare benefits counseling, nutrition classes, and technology coaching.
Allan and Carol O’Keefe with their neighbors who have become like family.
“All of our programs aim to keep seniors 60 and over healthy, active, and engaged,” says Steve Zollos, CEO. Zollos says the many programs at Senior Services address the most urgent challenges facing older adults today: housing, nutrition, and social isolation. “We work to give seniors the support and respect that we would want for our own grandparents, parents, and, eventually, ourselves. We all deserve to age with choice and dignity.”
Senior Services CEO Steve Zollos interacts with a senior at a recreational event.
For the O’Keefes, that support has been transformative. “These services have made our life livable,” Carol says. When heart trouble started interfering with Carol’s ability to climb the stairs, Senior Services paid for the installation of a chair lift, allowing the couple to remain in their home of 15 years. “That’s a life-changer,” Allan says. They enjoy daily visits from their “grandchildren,” who range in age from 9 to 18. The children help the O’Keefes bring in groceries and take out the trash, and the 13-year-old comes up in the mornings for coffee.
Despite their hardships, the O’Keefes maintain a contagiously positive attitude. “God does things in mysterious ways,” Carol says. “What he takes away, he gives you back.” The children downstairs “make our life normal,” Allan adds. “We feel as though we’re contributing, not just vegetating.” Zollos says the benefits of intergenerational connection make the work of Senior Services even more vital. “It’s a win-win when seniors are empowered to remain at home.”
Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia is a longtime TowneBank member, working closely with Jerry Kent, senior vice president and private banker. Towne is honored to support the organization’s many programs with a multi-year commitment.
For more information, visit SSSEVA.org.