Firm Grants Senior’s ‘Dream’ Of New Hearing Aid

November 2017

The Long Islander

A nonprofit program of a Melville-based elder law firm recently granted a 102-year-old woman’s ‘dream’ of new hear-ing aids.

Each year, the firm, Cona Elder Law, runs the “Seniors Dreams Come True” program as a means to grant wishes of low-income seniors across Long Island who have given back to their communities. The efforts have ranged from helping seniors meet basic needs, to fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Sally Lepis, 102, who lives independently at a subsidized housing complex in Selden, who has significant hearing loss, couldn’t afford to replace her more than 25-year-old hearing aids. Whether speaking to one person or in a group, she had difficulty communicating.
To fulfill her wish, the non-profit reached out to David Carr, owner and director of Cen-tereach-based McGuire’s Hear-ing Center, who donated two of the most-advanced small, cus-tom in-canal hearing aids plus four appointments with the au-diologist to do testing, pro-gramming and fine tuning of the devices. The total cost for the two hearing aids and audiology services is $7,500.

“I was intrigued with this im-portant program to help seniors and the amazing story of Mrs. Lepis and her family,” said Carr, who has previously donated hearing aids to the less fortunate through his Foundation for Sight and Sound program.

Lepis’ niece, Olivia, said her aunt is often referred to “Mother Theresa” by their family.

Olivia added, “No one is more deserving of a Senior Dreams wish than Sally who has devoted her life to caring for many family members and friends while coping with her own sadness and losses she has endured.”
Lepis has been an anchor for her family, remaining positive no matter the personal hard-ships. When she was 57 her hus-band died. She also lost her twin sister at a young age and raised her then-14-year-old niece in her home.

Before Lepis stopped driving at age 95, she often cared for friends by driving them to doc-tor’s appointments, and even saved a life when she found a friend stuck in a bathtub for sev-eral days.

Jennifer Cona, managing partner of Cona Elder Law, said Lepis “has given so much of herself over the years to friends, fam-ily and those in need in her community.

“She is exactly the kind of person for whom Senior Dreams Come True seeks to grant wishes. We are so pleased to partner with McGuire’s Hearing Center who so generously donated the hearing aids and the audiology services to grant this wish.”