I currently care for my Grandmother thanks to PASCO’s In-Home Support Services (IHSS) Program. Prior to coming to PASCO, my Grandmother was placed into a facility due to her age-related needs. Shortly after her placement, Grandma was diagnosed with Failure to Thrive. My husband and I immediately flew down to see her and were appalled to see the conditions she was living in. My Grandma was one of 50 patients cared for by only two CNAs. She was completely neglected; her health had deteriorated at a rate I didn’t think was possible. My dear Grandma means the world to me and my family, yet at this facility she was insignificant.
My husband and I agreed to get her out of there ASAP, her health and quality of life depended on it. We made the executive decision to bring her home with us, where she belonged. Due to her fragile and non-ambulatory status, flying home was not an option. My sweet husband and I rented a suburban and showed up to the facility at 5am to take her out and make the LONG drive back to Colorado.
I was scrambling to figure out how to honor my Grandmother with the care and dignity she deserved.
A friend of mine, who is a caregiver for their child, mentioned that PASCO might be able to help. I immediately called to see if I could get paid as a caregiver to provide care for my Grandma. I’m sure they could hear the skepticism in my voice as it truly did sound too good to be true. The hardest part of this entire ordeal was transferring her Medicaid status into Colorado, but PASCO made themselves available as a resource and I began the IHSS program soon after. The team at PASCO gave me the support, training, and confidence to start delivering care to my Grandmother.
When I got her back to Colorado Grandma was having hallucinations and had advanced dementia, as well as skin issues. As I began to care for her, with proper nutrition her hallucinations subsided and with proper care and medication her dementia is now minimal, and her skin issues improved with regular bathing. We later found out that some of her issues were not being addressed because the facility claimed they were not medically necessary.
Taking care of a loved one is a huge decision that affects everyone in the family and it requires a collective agreement from everyone involved and my Grandmother is definitely cared for and supported at my home.
PASCO is a win-win for everyone. The families benefit, the insurance companies benefit, the state benefits, but most importantly I get to give my Grandmother the one-on-one care she deserves with the compassion that only a loved one can provide. I honestly believe she would have died in that facility. Now she thrives alongside me, her Granddaughter, surrounded by family who loves being around her.
