As a preferred provider of memory care assisted living and life care management to the NFL Player Care Foundation, Silverado is often the first responder in assessing a former player’s needs.
Offensive tackle Tom Wickert – who was drafted in 1974 by the Miami Dolphins and finished his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1977 – was unsure of the benefits he was entitled to when he began to experience mild cognitive impairment. Tom immediately reached out to the NFL Player Care Foundation, who in turn called on Silverado.
Silverado Life Care Manager Carol Vega Aguilar flew to Tom’s home in Northern California to assess the situation. Silverado even covered all costs until he was properly diagnosed and eligibility was confirmed. With help from Carol, Tom decided to undergo cardiological and neurological assessments led by Silverado Medical Director Dr. David H. Stern, an expert from the UCLA Department of Medicine, geriatric division. After arriving at a formal diagnosis, Tom underwent rehabilitation at a Silverado community in Calabasas, California, where he received long-term respite care with support from a team under the guidance of Dr. Stern.
In a letter to Silverado, Tom shared, “I wanted to thank Silverado At Home, and Carol personally for the professional and upbeat help and guidance I received. Carol exceeded my expectations in so many ways and I would hope that the NFL and Silverado would assign other players to her now and in the near future. Carol went the extra mile and personally escorted me to many doctor’s appointments and testing sites. Carol explained each and every step of the way and what was to be expected the following day.”
In a follow-up note, Tom expressed that he wanted to share his experience because of the “settlement between the NFL players and the NFL over the concussion issue and [I] would expect a number of other players to come through Calabasas or other [Silverado] sites. Again, Silverado is the place where love is more powerful than fear.”
Tom’s story is ongoing. He currently lives at an independent living community in Sacramento where his is doing well with continued support from Silverado – receiving benefits he both deserves and is clinically eligible to receive. In the future, Silverado will continue to be there for Tom and other NFL families.
