Care Over Three Decades: Part 1 Freda B, Age 55

Freda B. isa 55 year old widowed woman living with her 81 year old mother in a small apartment located in a low income district of Seattle. She has worked as a cleaning person in office buildings over the past 25 years when she can find work. She has not been able to work flaIl time consistently in the last number of years as she has had to take time off to care for her mother who has suffered several strokes. In addition to her sporadic employment cleaning in office buildings Freda picks up housecleaning work when possible. Freda does not drive and relies on friends, the bus, or walking to get around. She attends the church in her neighborhood.

Freda married at age fifteen, had three children before age twenty, and did not graduate from high school. Her husband died five years ago of a heart attack and left her a $300 monthly pension from his work. Her children are all away from home. Her two eldest sons live out-of- state and her youngest daughter lives in Bellingham.

Medical History

BP 150/88 Weight 15O lbs. Height 5'5"

Freda has smoked a pack/day for 35 years and continues to smoke. She has had three normal vaginal deliveries. She has two or three urinary tract infections per year but has not been treated for these. She had her lower teeth extracted and dentures made at age forty. She experiences aching and stiffness of her knee and finger joints, especially when she does her cleaning work. She comes to the clinic today for a simple "check-up".