Stories from Caregivers: Jean from CONNECTICUT
CT
Jean
FROM CONNECTICUT
Two years ago, my mother had a serious heart attack at the age of 92. Up until then, she was in amazing shape. She had just given up her drivers license the year before but was extremely active and very independent. Although she was quite ill, she recovered very well. However, she was compromised in many areas. She was very unsteady and now needed a walker or a cane. As the only child, I have had full responsibility for her financial issues for many years. Now I needed to step up and provide much more help. When she was released from the rehab nursing home, we were given a sheet of paper with limited information on next steps. We were basically told to make an appointment with her primary care physician. It was apparent that she now needed help with many ordinary daily tasks. The physician provided very little direction. I was fortunate that as a volunteer for AARP, I was directed to excellent sources that were able to provide a plan of help for my mother. Through the Connecticut Home Care program, my mother is still living in her lovely apartment and getting wonderful services. However, I became ill with a digestive disease which was caused by the stress of this experience. We often forget about the caregiver and focus only on the person needing care. It is so important for the caregiver to make sure that they care for themselves. I have become a champion and resource for caregivers in Connecticut and continue to work on caring for both me and my mother.
