Jack, the DJ Detective: A Healthy at Home Story

Host a radio show, or investigate homicides. Most people don’t get a chance to do either, but Jack did both.

Photo by Fringer Cat @nittygritty_photo

For years, Jack rode the airwaves of country, rock, and talk radio shows in New Hampshire and Greater Boston. At night, though, he would come home and listen—his apartment shared a wall with the police department. He was fascinated by the goings-on, so when a friend from next door invited him on a small detail job, he said yes!

Soon Jack was in the force full time. Even as a patrolman, Jack helped solve cases quickly, and as a detective he worked through twelve grim murder cases. At the same time, he never lost his passion for radio, and his show, live from his home studio, was picked up by several local stations. You won’t recognize the name Jack, by the way. His chief ordered him to use  a pseudonym on the radio, and we’ve used a another pseudonym in this story to protect his privacy.

After more than 20 years with the police, Jack returned to the radio full time as a talk show host and a station manager. The studio chair, however, proved worse for Jack’s health than criminals.

In 2009, at the age of 62, he had a heart attack, and while at the hospital, Jack’s doctor, who happened to be one of his AM listeners, warned him of the links between stress, cardiac issues, and Jack’s particularly rousing morning talk show. To their mutual displeasure, Jack had to quit radio.

Jack’s health continued to decline. No longer able to work, he became legally disabled. Blood clots formed, diabetes developed, and eventually his legs were amputated—all before he was retirement age. Unfortunately, his sisters both lived too far away to help, and to make matters worse, he had lost the majority of his pension during his divorce.

Photo by Max Bender @maxwbender

Without other resources, he now qualified for Medicare and Medicaid. Given his family, financial, and insurance situation, institutionalization became a real threat…or it would have without Healthy at Home.

From the beginning of Jack’s health issues, Healthy at Home staff provided the home care he needed to live independently.

One nurse, Craig, came every week—for nearly a decade. Homemakers, and later Licensed Nursing Assistants, made sure Jack’s cupboards were stocked, his living spaces were sanitary, and he himself was ready for the day. Even when Jack was in the hospital, Craig would visit, not only to check his health, but to check on him.

These days, instead of the airwaves, Jack rides a scooter. It was a gift from Craig before he moved to Phoenix, and it belonged to his late father. Craig and Jack still talk once a month on the phone. Jack takes the scooter downtown to pick up meds and see the sights. When it is nice out, he rides through the park.

All and all, Jack is not resentful, despite his health. “I’ve lived a good life,” he says.

Having spent twelve years with Healthy at Home, Jack is one of the program’s longest-served clients.

“I’d recommend them to anyone,” he says. “I know everyone there, and they know me.” Staff at Healthy at Homes are equally complimentary: Jack, the disc-jockey detective, is a rare man, and they are proud to help him stay independent from week to week and year to year.

For more than twenty years, Harbor Care through Healthy at Home has provided affordable, high-quality home health and personal care so that people may remain independent and in their homes. We serve Greater Nashua and Southern New Hampshire regions, including Nashua, Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, Milford, and Bedford.

For more information, please visit our webpage. To schedule a confidential, no-obligation consultation, please call (603) 595-4243.