08 Sep Empowering Friendship

Keiko Isshiki received a call from LTSC that she’ll never forget. Her friend Kawasaki-san had taken a bad fall and had been admitted to the hospital. Since Kawasaki-san had no family in the US, Keiko knew her friend needed her now more than ever.

Soon it became clear that it would be in Kawasaki-san’s best interest to have Keiko obtain power of attorney to make her medical decisions. Although Keiko is very sharp, helping in this way was a completely new challenge for her. She was not sure she was prepared for the huge responsibility she would incur.

LTSC caseworker, Ayumi Nagata, reassured Keiko that everything would be okay.  Whenever Keiko was unsure of what to do, Ayumi’s experience as a social worker and her network of professionals pointed Keiko in the right direction. With Ayumi by her side, Keiko confidently navigated the obstacles that arose after gaining power of attorney. “If I didn’t come across [LTSC], I may have given up. Ayumi-san was with me every step so that I could support Kawasaki-san and make sure her wishes were fulfilled,” Keiko told us.

Although Kawasaki-san sadly passed away at the end of 2021, she was able to pass peacefully, knowing that her affairs were squared away. Keiko is proud that she supported her friend until the end and was grateful for the support she received from LTSC. “For my generation, [seniors] may feel shy and not want to reach out for help when they don’t know what to do. LTSC is a great organization and every person needs an organization like LTSC to give them help,” said Keiko.