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GIVING CARE: A FULL-TIME JOB; HANOVER WIFE GETS BY WITHOUT MUCH HELP FROM STATE
By Sue Scheible
The Patriot Ledger, MA
Dec 11 2006
Elsa Hart got her hopes up when she read that Massachusetts will
now pay family caregivers. "My elation didn't last long," said Hart,
who is 71 and has provided round-the-clock care for her 84-year-old
husband, Vartan, since his massive stroke four years ago. Two new
state programs don't include spouses or parents among the caregivers
paid for what they do. Children and other family members are eligible.
"It's a shame, because I really could use some help here," Hart said.
She begins her days at 3 a.m., when her husband wakes up, and is on
duty until 8 p.m. when they both go to sleep.
They have been married for 49 years. Her husband, called Varty,
had a massive stroke in April 2002. It left him unable to speak
and paralyzed on his right side, but he understands what is said,
recognizes family and friends, enjoys TV and smiles often.
After the stroke, he was hospitalized and went to a nursing home for
nearly three months of rehabilitation. But after he lost 30 pounds
and Elsa saw how unhappy he was, she brought him home to Hanover.
"You could see it in his eyes," she said.
The state has two programs that will pay some caregivers but does
not include spouses or parents - apparently because for them, it is
considered a family duty.
"I don't mind doing it all," Hart said.
She once worked as a nurse's aide and is clearly devoted to her
husband and cheerful about her lot. But she does get tired and she
does feel confined.
"Some days, I feel that if I don't get out, I'm going to go crazy,
but when I do get away, I'm happy to come home," she said.
The Office of Elder Affairs provides some help. Health aides from
Old Colony Elderly Services in Brockton come in for one hour and 15
minutes a day, Monday through Friday.
But Hart still does a lot of difficult hands-on care for her husband,
who is 6 feet tall and weighs 170 pounds. She changes him several
times a day and moves him around to prevent bed sores and infections.
She feeds him and specially prepares his food and beverages so he
won't choke.
Whenever he is moved from his bed to his wheelchair, aides must use
a special lift. It requires strength, even to assist. On weekends
and holidays, her two sons come by to help.
"I have never had the feeling of 'Why me?' she said. "But I need a
break. I've only started feeling this way the past six months."
If the state paid her even a small amount, she could hire someone
skilled to come in for a few more hours a week.
The Harts share a romantic and glamorous past. Vartan Haroutunian
grew up in an Armenian family in Everett and served in World War II,
as did his five brothers and his sister. He flew 37 missions for the
Army Air Forces and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After the war, he attended the Boston Conservatory . He played tenor
sax and managed the Jazz Workshop in Copley Square, a hip, popular
night spot.
"He was just so talented," Elsa said.
He was 31 and she was 18 when they met.
Elsa Lindgren grew up in Boston, studied classical violin in high
school and played with the Boston Junior Symphony. Discovering jazz
with her brother opened up a whole new world.
"The Jazz Workshop was full of writers and artists and musicians,"
Hart said. "It had a nice atmosphere. Tony Bennett and Stan Kenton
played there; Barbra Streisand sang a few songs when she stopped by."
Vartan Hart had his own sextet, was in Herb Pomeroy's Big Band and
played at the first jazz concert in the Isabella Stewart Gardner
Museum ("Jazz Rocks Staid Precincts of Hallowed Gardner" read one
headline). In 1962, he played in the first jazz festival on the Boston
Public Garden.
Before the couple married in 1957, she spent three years traveling
with Sam Snyder's Water Follies as a synchronized swimmer, visiting
Australia.
They moved to Weymouth and then Hanover in 1971 to raise their two
sons, Eric and Christian, and changed their last name to Hart. He
got a job with more regular hours as manager of Star Market at Queen
Anne's Corner in Norwell. Eric Hart lives in Hanover and Christian
Hart in Hanson.
When Elsa Hart decided to bring her husband home after his stroke,
the nursing home warned her about the burden.
"The first night I had him at home, I woke up at 3 a.m. There he was
in a hospital bed next to me, and I thought, 'Oh my God. What have I
done? Can I do this?' I got up and had a cup of tea and decided that
I could."
Today, he is in relatively good physical shape and enjoys life. He
is happiest when he sees his family, loves to watch sports on TV,
and laughs at his favorite programs such as "The Price Is Right."
"His face says it all," Elsa said. "When his sons or grandsons come
in, he is all smiles."
A recent report by the Caregiving Project for Older Americans warned
of an inevitable crisis, as social changes continue to thin the ranks
of traditional family caregivers while baby boomers nearly double
the demand for them.
Al Norman, executive director of Mass Home Care, said it is not fair
or wise to exclude husbands, wives and parents from state help for
home care.
"If she fails, he will end up in a nursing home at state expense,"
Norman said. "And we will be needing as many family caregivers as we
can find. The baby boomers will be coming along and there won't be
enough caregivers for them all."
Finding help
Through its Caring Homes program, the state pays caregivers of people
62 and older who are not eligible for MassHealth (Medicaid.). Call
Old Colony Elderly Services in Brockton at 508-584-1561 or Senior
Link at 866-797-4222.
The Enhanced Adult Foster Care program will pay caregivers of
people 16 and older who qualify for MassHealth. Call 800-841-2900
or 800-AGE-INFO.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By Sue Scheible
The Patriot Ledger, MA
Dec 11 2006
Elsa Hart got her hopes up when she read that Massachusetts will
now pay family caregivers. "My elation didn't last long," said Hart,
who is 71 and has provided round-the-clock care for her 84-year-old
husband, Vartan, since his massive stroke four years ago. Two new
state programs don't include spouses or parents among the caregivers
paid for what they do. Children and other family members are eligible.
"It's a shame, because I really could use some help here," Hart said.
She begins her days at 3 a.m., when her husband wakes up, and is on
duty until 8 p.m. when they both go to sleep.
They have been married for 49 years. Her husband, called Varty,
had a massive stroke in April 2002. It left him unable to speak
and paralyzed on his right side, but he understands what is said,
recognizes family and friends, enjoys TV and smiles often.
After the stroke, he was hospitalized and went to a nursing home for
nearly three months of rehabilitation. But after he lost 30 pounds
and Elsa saw how unhappy he was, she brought him home to Hanover.
"You could see it in his eyes," she said.
The state has two programs that will pay some caregivers but does
not include spouses or parents - apparently because for them, it is
considered a family duty.
"I don't mind doing it all," Hart said.
She once worked as a nurse's aide and is clearly devoted to her
husband and cheerful about her lot. But she does get tired and she
does feel confined.
"Some days, I feel that if I don't get out, I'm going to go crazy,
but when I do get away, I'm happy to come home," she said.
The Office of Elder Affairs provides some help. Health aides from
Old Colony Elderly Services in Brockton come in for one hour and 15
minutes a day, Monday through Friday.
But Hart still does a lot of difficult hands-on care for her husband,
who is 6 feet tall and weighs 170 pounds. She changes him several
times a day and moves him around to prevent bed sores and infections.
She feeds him and specially prepares his food and beverages so he
won't choke.
Whenever he is moved from his bed to his wheelchair, aides must use
a special lift. It requires strength, even to assist. On weekends
and holidays, her two sons come by to help.
"I have never had the feeling of 'Why me?' she said. "But I need a
break. I've only started feeling this way the past six months."
If the state paid her even a small amount, she could hire someone
skilled to come in for a few more hours a week.
The Harts share a romantic and glamorous past. Vartan Haroutunian
grew up in an Armenian family in Everett and served in World War II,
as did his five brothers and his sister. He flew 37 missions for the
Army Air Forces and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After the war, he attended the Boston Conservatory . He played tenor
sax and managed the Jazz Workshop in Copley Square, a hip, popular
night spot.
"He was just so talented," Elsa said.
He was 31 and she was 18 when they met.
Elsa Lindgren grew up in Boston, studied classical violin in high
school and played with the Boston Junior Symphony. Discovering jazz
with her brother opened up a whole new world.
"The Jazz Workshop was full of writers and artists and musicians,"
Hart said. "It had a nice atmosphere. Tony Bennett and Stan Kenton
played there; Barbra Streisand sang a few songs when she stopped by."
Vartan Hart had his own sextet, was in Herb Pomeroy's Big Band and
played at the first jazz concert in the Isabella Stewart Gardner
Museum ("Jazz Rocks Staid Precincts of Hallowed Gardner" read one
headline). In 1962, he played in the first jazz festival on the Boston
Public Garden.
Before the couple married in 1957, she spent three years traveling
with Sam Snyder's Water Follies as a synchronized swimmer, visiting
Australia.
They moved to Weymouth and then Hanover in 1971 to raise their two
sons, Eric and Christian, and changed their last name to Hart. He
got a job with more regular hours as manager of Star Market at Queen
Anne's Corner in Norwell. Eric Hart lives in Hanover and Christian
Hart in Hanson.
When Elsa Hart decided to bring her husband home after his stroke,
the nursing home warned her about the burden.
"The first night I had him at home, I woke up at 3 a.m. There he was
in a hospital bed next to me, and I thought, 'Oh my God. What have I
done? Can I do this?' I got up and had a cup of tea and decided that
I could."
Today, he is in relatively good physical shape and enjoys life. He
is happiest when he sees his family, loves to watch sports on TV,
and laughs at his favorite programs such as "The Price Is Right."
"His face says it all," Elsa said. "When his sons or grandsons come
in, he is all smiles."
A recent report by the Caregiving Project for Older Americans warned
of an inevitable crisis, as social changes continue to thin the ranks
of traditional family caregivers while baby boomers nearly double
the demand for them.
Al Norman, executive director of Mass Home Care, said it is not fair
or wise to exclude husbands, wives and parents from state help for
home care.
"If she fails, he will end up in a nursing home at state expense,"
Norman said. "And we will be needing as many family caregivers as we
can find. The baby boomers will be coming along and there won't be
enough caregivers for them all."
Finding help
Through its Caring Homes program, the state pays caregivers of people
62 and older who are not eligible for MassHealth (Medicaid.). Call
Old Colony Elderly Services in Brockton at 508-584-1561 or Senior
Link at 866-797-4222.
The Enhanced Adult Foster Care program will pay caregivers of
people 16 and older who qualify for MassHealth. Call 800-841-2900
or 800-AGE-INFO.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress