Senior Fund provides El Paso man new bathtub, sense of independence

For Valentin Quintero, the Rio Grande Area Agency on Aging's Senior Fund represents a Borderland gift of independence and safety.

Quintero, a diabetic of 32 years, contracted COVID-19 in June 2020, initially spending 15 days in the hospital before experiencing heart problems, which led to a myriad of issues, including an ulcer in his left leg and the eventual removal of his right leg below the knee in January 2023.

Though he has a prosthetic leg, Quintero has not yet gained the stamina to use it and has been laboring in a wheelchair for the last two years. That has caused problems with navigation in his home, especially when taking a bath.

That's when the Senior Fund stepped in — in September, the Rio Grande Area Agency on Aging paid for a new shower for Quintero, complete with grab