At 86 years old, while many people are enjoying a well-earned retirement, Elaine Dorland is still waking up every morning at 4:30 AM, pouring herself a cup of coffee, and heading to work. For the past nine years, Dorland has worked as a cleaner at the senior living facility she has called home for more than two decades in Wyandotte, a nine-story building where she scrubs windows, cleans bathrooms, vacuums hallways, and tends to elevators with quiet pride and determination.
A Lifetime of Hard Work, Starting at Age 12
Dorland’s work ethic spans a lifetime. She began cleaning jobs at just 12 years old, taking on any work she could find to help make ends meet. “Those jobs never paid nothing,” she has said, but she kept working anyway. That perseverance followed her into adulthood and continues today, even as her body struggles to keep up. With rods in her back, a torn rotator cuff, and advancing arthritis, the physical toll of cleaning is immense, especially for someone in her late 80s.
Her need to keep working became even more urgent after the loss of her husband, Rodger, two years ago. A Marine veteran and plumber, Rodger died from kidney failure, leaving Dorland to manage on her own. Social Security alone is not enough to cover her monthly expenses, and the income from her cleaning job helps ensure there is food in her refrigerator and bills are paid. Still, the work is exhausting, and the emotional weight of continuing without her husband, and after also losing her son, has been heavy.
A Community Steps In to Help
Despite these hardships, Dorland shows up every day wearing her cleaning service shirt with pride. Residents and staff at the facility know her as a familiar, dependable presence; someone who never complains and always gets the job done. Her story, however, reached beyond the building’s walls when community member Sue Wery met Dorland and learned about her circumstances.
Moved by Dorland’s resilience and kindness, Wery launched a GoFundMe campaign to help her retire with dignity and comfort. The goal set is to raise $30,000 to cover living expenses and give Dorland the chance to rest after more than seven decades of hard work. At the time of reportingm $6,685 has been raised, a testament to how deeply her story has resonated with people near and far.
The fundraiser highlights a reality faced by many seniors across the country, especially women, who worked low-wage jobs their entire lives and now struggle to survive on fixed incomes. According to national data, older adults living on Social Security alone often face financial insecurity, particularly as health costs rise. Dorland’s story puts a human face on that issue. Dorland’s story puts a human face on that issue.
Those who wish to help Elanie Dorland retire can contribute or share her story through the GoFundMe campaign…