Brenda Andrus – Caring With Love for our Elderly

Brenda Andrus and Jan Swift

Brenda Andrus joined Discover Lafayette to discuss the importance of protecting our local senior citizens and providing outlets for socialization and enriching activities. 

Employed by Home Healthcare 2000, Brenda is engaged in providing resources and enriching activities to elders and also keeps up with what is offered locally by civic and government agencies. She partners with Lafayette Consolidated Government’s two senior centers, The Greenhouse Art Studio and The Rosehouse, both of which recently reopened in April 2023.

Brenda is an inspirational woman who has never met a challenge she could not overcome. Her passion is in helping our elderly neighbors and she works to ensure that no one is forgotten or neglected. During COVID, she cooked weekly meals for seniors who may not otherwise have gotten a nutritious hot meal. She has also organized an annual bus trip since 2009 to various locales throughout the South which affords the opportunity for local seniors to hear good music and visit historic sites such as the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN where Dr. Martin Luther King was shot. She keeps the trip affordable and interesting, always inviting a Lafayette-based performing artist to join the bus tour so that they can play at an out-of-town venue.

We love a recent quote of Brenda’s that is the epitome of her life story: “Giving to our elders with food, games and healthy educational materials is a wonderful way to show appreciation and respect for their contributions to our communities and society. For many seniors, social isolation and loneliness can be major challenges, and spending time with them can be incredibly meaningful and beneficial.” She has lived out this mission of giving both as a dedicated volunteer in the community and as an employee with Home Health Care 2000.

For more information on how you can volunteer or get involved, please call Brenda Andrus at (337)258-1666. For more information on Lafayette’s Senior Centers, visit https://www.lafayettela.gov/ParksRecreation/Centers-Activities/senior-centers.