Community Attendant Program To The Rescue, Eldercare Blessings

I'm reminded of Pearl S. Buck's story, The Good Earth, in that I've been afraid to praise the benefits of the Department of Aging and Disability or DADS, as they're known, for fear of jinxing the program. At long last, following a lot of hoop-jumping, the ladies in my care are getting the help they need to remain living independently at home. Being homebound, according to their Medicare Advantage plan's definition, is that leaving  home is a major effort. That definitely describes the ladies across the street, who at 88 and 93, still maintain their own daily activities but neither own a  car nor drive. Thankfully.

With that independence comes other disadvantages like trying to cook meals, which has become a dangerous activity to someone in a wheelchair who is legally blind from macular degeneration. And to her younger sister, it is a matter of concentration, along with sense of smell and hearing, which seems to be lagging at times. Recently, a grease fire in the kitchen nearly sent the pair to well, we'll just say they were both fortunate that in a moment of clarity the flaming pan was moved to the nearby sink without harm. It was a real eye-opener for me.

Truly, I'm in denial about my Mother, who for the last twenty or so years, has remained so vibrantly active and able, not retiring until she turned eighty. Now as her skills diminish, I'm grateful that they have qualified for Home Health Services Care. With the two ladies living together, their combined allotted hours gives them a Community Attendant who comes five days a week, eight hours per day.

The real difficulty has been the inconsistency of schedule for the attendant since the middle of November when the program started. First, we had the Thanksgiving holiday, then a flat tire, then Christmas, then New Year's, then the stomach flu (out for 8 days) for which we remain grateful was not shared with the patients, then several days of ice and road conditions making travel too dangerous to come. If things ever settle down, it will be a lot better for the ladies who are fond of a predictable routine at their house.

The strange part is the element of coincidence (?) in the attendant's name. It has been strangely validating to be assigned a wonderful and enthusiastic twenty-one year old named Joe. Yes, a lady named Joe. I thought I was the only one with a name spelled like a boy. Other than my fictional character in The Pub novel I'm writing. Hmm. Strange. She's blonde and sweet, a young mother who takes pains in being creative with the meals she prepares for my Mother and Aunt. And what a major relief it is to have her help.

Good rice. It is good rice.