The Carmela

Carmela is a proud native of New York City. She loves her hometown and can't imagine living anywhere else. Carmela has a brother who resides nearby and also has a nephew living in Texas. During her leisure time, she enjoys cooking and is confident in her ability to make a crowd-pleasing potato salad. Additionally, she likes to listen to music, and her taste leans toward classics such as Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.

Carmela was introduced to JASA by the Osborne Association, an organization that assists individuals who have been previously incarcerated. After spending 14 years in prison, Carmela was released and required knee surgery. She also needs a hip replacement but needs to go through chemo for her immune disorder first. In the meantime, she suffers through her pain.

“I’m in a lot of pain and in need of a hip replacement. I took JASA’s class on pain management and it was an excellent experience. The facilitators were great and very knowledgeable. I learned how to deal with the pain and how to eat better. I recommend it to anyone who also has chronic pain.”

Carmela benefited greatly from JASA's Chronic Disease Management program. She learned effective pain management techniques and discovered the nutritional benefits of certain foods. Thanks to this program, she has improved her diet by learning how to read food labels and incorporating more vegetables into her meals. Carmela praises the knowledgeable, caring, and helpful staff of the health program.

This necklace is handmade with love and care by JASA seniors. Treat yourself today and support older New Yorkers!