"An Oasis for Seniors" Pam's Habitat Health Story
When Pam Garland's car stopped running, her world got very small.
Pam is a fiber artist, a published writer, and a woman who has called Sacramento home since 1975. She is sharp, funny, and deeply creative — the kind of person who lights up a room. But at 78, her car "retired." She was living alone and suddenly had no way to get out and about, and her the days started to feel very long.
"You can start to feel a little depressed," she says simply.
It is a feeling that many older adults know but rarely say out loud. The loss of a car is not just a transportation problem. It is a loss of freedom. It is the slow shrinking of a life that used to feel full.
Finding an Oasis
Pam joined Habitat Health, and she has a word for what she found there.
"For me, this program is like an oasis in the midst of a dry desert, especially for seniors."
She is not just talking about the medical care, she’s talking about the feeling inside the building. The way the staff greet her. The way the other participants look out for one another. The way no one is in a rush to move her along.
"The vibe is so good," she says. "They treat us like family. It really is a community."
For Pam, that matters more than she can easily put into words. She describes what it can feel like for older adults when they go out into the world — to the library, the grocery store, anywhere — and are not treated with the kindness and consideration they deserve. She has seen the look on people's faces. She calls it "shell-shocked from the world."
At Habitat Health, that look starts to fade.
"The warmth and the outreach from the staff and from each other," she says, "it kind of starts melting the frozen parts of us."
The Best Doctor in 77 Years
Pam does not hold back when it comes to her care team.
"I have the best doctor I've had in 77 years," she says, laughing.
At Habitat Health, her doctors, nurses, and therapists are all in one place. They know her name. They know her history. They know what matters to her. And because transportation is part of the program, the Habitat Health van picks her up at her door and brings her to the center, so a broken-down car is no longer a barrier to her health and opportunities to socialize.
From Participant to Teacher
One of the things Pam loves most about Habitat Health is that the center is genuinely curious about who its participants are — not just their medical charts, but their gifts.
Pam is a fiber artist. She knits. She crochets. She creates. And her love of sharing that joy with others led to the launch of Habitat Health’s first Crochet Club, hosted by Pam.
She is not just receiving care — she is contributing to the community. She is a teacher. A neighbor. A friend. That sense of purpose, she will tell you, is its own kind of medicine.
"Come On Over Here"
If you are an older adult living alone in Sacramento (or South LA)— or if you are a family member watching a parent slowly withdraw from the world — Pam has a message for you.
"If anybody's out there looking for a place where you'll be cared for and supported in a holistic way, with the warmth of a heart and community, come on over here. We're waiting for you. We're keeping the light on for you."
Habitat Health is a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), available to adults 55 and older in Sacramento and South Los Angeles available at no cost for those who qualify for both Medicare and Medi-Cal. The program includes medical care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, transportation, meals, social activities, and more.
Want to see if Habitat Health is right for you or a loved one? Contact us today, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have.