By Fern Alling

The Gazette

JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa — Mike Mothershed paced around the house, using the paths of beige carpet cleared between piles of papers and clothes to scan rooms from floor to ceiling. Having found something to do, he returned to the living room, where 78-year-old Marlene sat neatly on the couch.

“Need to find you some new nine-volt batteries for your smoke detectors,” Mothershed said.

“I do think I noticed a nine-volt in that side cupboard cabinet in the kitchen, I think it’s at the bottom,” Marlene replied. She slowly shifted to watch him dig in the kitchen drawer.

Marlene, whose name was withheld for privacy reasons, has a hard time moving around her house. Her respiratory and cardiac issues make it challenging for her to live alone at home. Mothershed helps her w

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