July 1, 2020
Douglas Lyon spent his working life serving his nation. First, he joined the U.S. Army as an enlisted man in 1961, eventually working his way up to the rank of Colonel. Then, after retiring from the Army in 1987, he spent years working for the Veterans Administration as a dental periodontist.
Now 77-years-old and retired from the V.A., Col. Lyon lives in Manchaca, Texas just outside of Austin. His body racked by the ravages of osteoporosis, he uses a cane to get around the home he and his daughter, Jennifer, purchased four years ago. Jennifer is his fulltime caregiver and she says as her father became less steady on his feet, it became apparent that their home needed to be renovated in order to make it a safer place for him to age in place.
Thanks to generous funding from The Home Depot Foundation, Meals on Wheels Central Texas was able to replace a bathtub with a walk-in shower, build a ramp, widen doorways, and even replace all door knobs with handles that make it easier for Col. Lyon to open and close doors.
“It’s brought him more freedom, more accessibility, more independence,” says Jennifer of the repairs. “It’s provided him the dignity to be able to bathe himself independently. It’s a profound blessing and we are so grateful.”