State’s Seniors Behind Effort to Ensure Care for All Older Adults

Dora Gorski’s husband fell ill with dementia and then COVID. She lived in Lincoln County at the time and found herself fighting not only for his health, but for his dignity and care. Gorski faced the heartbreaking reality of trying to decide if she could support him at home following a hospital stay. But she didn’t have the resources, equipment, or support she needed. 

“They told me I had to take him home the next day,” she shares. “I didn’t even have a wheelchair.”

Neighbors stepped up. 

A pastor loaned her the wheelchair she needed. Friends – first responders and a local nurse – helped lift her husband into the house. But the experience opened her eyes to something larger. Many people may not have that kind of community safety net.

It’s when Gorski became an advocate. She’s now a member of the Senior Empowerment Project. And she’s behind a growing effort by the state’s older adults to ensure access to high-quality, affordable, local care. She and others are also fighting to protect county-owned nursing homes like Pine Crest in Merrill from corporate buyouts. Gorski calls Pine Crest a five-star example of what it means to receive community care. It’s also where her husband stayed after she could no longer care for him at home.

“The people who serve at Pine Crest know the people they care for,” Gorski says. “It’s neighbors helping neighbors. That’s what makes it special.”

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The Senior Empowerment Project is hosting a free Wisconsin Senior Summit this Thursday in Stevens Point. The statewide gathering will be a place to discuss the future of senior care. The summit will feature speakers like former State Senator Dale Schultz, UW–Stevens Point basketball coach Jack Bennett, and policy expert Rene Eastman. Learn more about the Senior Summit and sign up here.

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Listen as Dora Gorski shares her story with Pat Kreitlow here:

[podcast src="https://civicmedia.us/shows/mornings-with-pat-kreitlow/2025/11/03/senior-summit-hour-3"]

Gorski says communities across the state, both rural and urban alike, need to unite to put together an agenda of solutions for aging with dignity. And it needs to be shared with lawmakers.   

“We want people to realize how powerful they are when we come together,” Gorski says. “Wisconsin has a long history of working together through cooperatives, food pantries, and care networks. It’s time to bring that spirit back for our seniors.”