Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Jon Tevlin column
"It had a big impact on Bob," said his wife, Debbie. "He came from humble beginnings, so he worked really hard to get ahead."
It paid off. The company grew exponentially, with annual sales of more than
Then it happened.
One day as he was walking up the steps near his home Bob fell backward and hit his head, and the couple's future changed abruptly. Bob suffered a massive head injury so severe that doctors said he would need to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home.
Debbie didn't like the idea, so she started looking around for options. A couple of years before Bob's accident, she had joined the board of trustees at
As a board member at
"It's the problem that thousands of boomers are going to face and one that
Last year
Debbie was startled by the lack of a system to care for people who become disabled and need constant care, so this week she donated
"Even though Bob couldn't stay at home, we created a home for him, filled with all the things he likes," said Debbie. "We were very successful, but not everybody is so lucky."
Debbie discovered that hardworking people who have toiled to support themselves and stay out of poverty end up broke due to the high cost of medical care.
"It's so frustrating that we have a country so successful, so creative and so entrepreneurial, yet care for the elderly is a secondary concern," Debbie said. "So many people don't have a family to support them or the resources to get good care."
Schubert is passionate about aging issues and the lack of preparation across the country as a wave of boomers ages and gets sick. Speaking to community groups, he's predicted -- and already seen -- shortages in services for the elderly and people with disabilities.
"
The Cervenkas have long been philanthropists both individually and through the plastics company. They usually don't allow their names to be used when donating money.
"The reason I agreed to be named is I'm hoping to create awareness around aging," said Debbie. "Younger people need to think about how much money they are going to need, and we need to find some solutions to problems we are going to see. It's scary."
[email protected] 612-673-1702
Follow Jon on Twitter: @jontevlin
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