Margaret lives alone just down the road from Harriet,
and is stubborn about accepting outside help. She insists
on doing her own driving for errands and doctor visits,
and is intent on doing all her own food preparation, even
though the meals are not always nutritious or follow diabetic
guidelines.
Harriet's doctor participates in the Council on Aging's
"Making the Link Program," which connects caregivers
with helpful services through their physicians. He asked
for permission to contact a case manager for seniors at
the Council to see if there was any help available for
Harriet and her mother.
"A case manager called me a few days later and told
me about programs that can assist my mother with medical
appointments, meal delivery and driving," says Harriet.
"I knew there was help out there, but had no idea
how to access any programs."
The Council on Aging's case manager then called Margaret
and gently persuaded her to consider getting some assistance.
Taking a big step, she agreed to give the Meals on Wheels
program a try, and to allow a volunteer Senior Companion
to drive her to town once a week to shop. Knowing that
Margaret was being helped in those areas enabled Harriet
to focus more on working with her mother on managing her
diabetes.
"It's still challenging, but knowing that she's
eating better and driving less is a blessing," she
says. "If I hadn't talked about it with my doctor
I never would have known about Making the Link, or any
of the services we got through the Council on Aging case
manager.
Millions of elderly or disabled Americans are being cared
for by loved ones every day. Middle aged caregivers, often
caught between two generations that need help, are described
by the American Medical Association as the "hidden
at-risk population." Despite its rewards, caregiving
can be stressful, and many caregivers who are available
24/7 neglect their own health, feel overburdened and isolated,
and desperately need respite.
Case managers at the Council on Aging are trained to
connect caregivers with the support services that can
make their job easier by providing their frail loved ones
with connections to medical, social, financial, legal
and day care services. Case managers answer questions
and make referrals related to senior housing, Medicaid,
meal delivery, caregiver support, senior companions, elder
abuse, visiting nurses and more. They excel in listening
to elderly clients and their caregivers and providing
them with options. In southeastern Vermont there are case
managers working in ten offices throughout Windsor and
Windham counties.
"The case manager who worked with me and my mother
made a real difference in our lives," says Harriet.
"Once she got involved, I felt that I wasn't bearing
the burden all by myself. With just a phone call, I can
get the support I need to be a better caregiver."
RESOURCES
Senior Help-Line (800-642-5119)
Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont (885-2655 or
www.coasevt.org)
