Cathy Cress

Expert in Aging Life and Geriatric Care Management

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My Dad’s Move To My House with The Wonder of VA GRECC

November 11, 2020

HV-Cress.jpg

 

I moved my own Dad so let me tell you our story on Veterans Day.

It is key to his move. My father was a World War II navigator shot down in Poland and transferred to Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria.  He returned home a broken man with PTSD, never took a bus, drove, or flew on a plane again. His disability, like so many vets was untreated for 50 years. He worked as an advertising agent ala Mad Men and drank like Don Draper. Our family crumbled into a dysfunctional maelstrom, as most families do.

VA GRECC PROGRAM SAVES THE DAY

Finally, after my mother died, I talked him into going to the VA where he did get treatment through the GRECC program. My brother who lived with him died, my Dad found his body and the house caught fire, I then moved my Dad out to a board and care HVC-85th_20130525-233904_1.jpgand had the house rebuilt. However, it was Edgar Alan Poe’s House of Usher. The perfect storm of 91 flooded the whole house again just like Hurricane Sandy. We lived on the bay off the Jersey Coast, since devastated by the rising ocean.

On Christmas Eve I got him an emergency flight to California with only his clothes and he moved in with us for 20 years, until his death. Was it a good move-?

Yes, it was a great move.

We compensated by moving into our attic, which, had been renovated with a bedroom, bath office, etc. So my Dad had privacy, although he was on the floor with his 8th-grade granddaughter now 40. They both had their own bathrooms. He became the center of the family when he had been a distant removed father. His great-grandchildren my brother’s son Chris my grandchildren  Julia and Joseph and my children Jill and Kali adored him and he loved them. He was “ Pop”.

The VA GRECC program was superb.

I got him enrolled in the VA GRECC program in Menlo Park near us, and they took care of his heath for 20 years with the unmatched expertise that the VA is capable of bringing. I cannot say enough about what a great service GRECC rendered him. After 50 years of no help, they showered him with great preventative care, top-notch geriatricians, transportation, and financial support, and at the end home care until he died.

So on Veterans Dad, I would like to give you my own moving store and remind you of the horrible struggle veterans go through, especially PTSD Vets like my Dad,  salted by the Dec-Xmas-all-of-us-.jpganguish visited on their families. But there is a great part of the VA and its GRECC. So happy Memorial Day Dad and so glad you moved in with us, died among his family, and was so well served by the VA GRECC PROGRAM

Filed Under: Aging, aging family crisis, Dysfunctional aging family, Perfect Storm 91, PTSD Vets, Retired Veterans, VA benefits, VA Benefits & geriatric care managementt, VA benefits and geriatric care management, VA Benefits PTSD, VA GRECC Program, VA GRECCProgram, VA Home Care, VA PTSD, Veteran's Day, Veterans Administration Tagged With: Dysfunctional PTSD VA Family, elder relocation, finding VA military services, finding VA services, moving parent, PTSD in family caregivers, PTSD in Vets World War II, Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria, VA, VA Aide and Attendace, VA disability Claims, VA Geriatric Care, VA GRECC Program, VA World War II Vets, Veterans Day

My Dad’s Move To My House with The Wonder of VA GRECC

November 11, 2020

HV-Cress.jpg

 

I moved my own Dad so let me tell you our story on Veterans Day.

It is key to his move. My Dad was a World War II navigator shot down in Poland and transferred to Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria.  He returned home a broken man with PTSD, never took a bus, drove, or flew on a plane again. His disability, like so many vets, was untreated for 50 years. He worked as an advertising agent ala Mad Men and drank like Don Draper. Our family crumbled into a dysfunctional maelstrom, as most families do.

Finally, after my mother died, I talked him into going to the VA where he did get treatment through the GRECC program.

My brother who lived with him died, my Dad found his body and the house caught fire, I then moved my Dad out to a board and care and had the house rebuilt. However, it was Edgar Alan Poe’s House of Usher The perfect storm of 89 flooded the whole house again just like Hurricane Sandy. We lived on the bay off the Jersey Coast, since devastated by the rising ocean.

On Christmas Eve I got him an emergency flight to California with only his clothes and he moved in with us for 20 years, until his death.

 

Was it a good move-?

Yes, it was a great move.

We compensated by moving into our attic, which, had been renovated with a bedroom, bath office, etc. So my Dad had privacy, although he was on the floor with his 8th-grade granddaughter. They both had their own bathrooms. He became the center of the family when he had been a distant removed father. The great-grandchildren and my children adored him and he loved them. He was “ Pop”.

The VA GRECC program was superb.

I got my father enrolled and they took care of his heath for 20 years with the unmatched expertise that the VA is capable of bringing. I cannot say enough about what a great service GRECC rendered him. After 50 years of no help, they showered him with great HVC-85th_20130525-233904_1.jpgpreventative care, top-notch geriatricians, transportation, and financial support, and at the end home care until he died.

So on Veterans Day, I would like to give you my own moving store and remind you of the horrible struggle veterans go through salted by the anguish visited on their families. But there is a great part of the VA and its GRECC. So happy Veterans Day Dad and so glad you moved in with us.

Filed Under: Aging Tagged With: elder relocation, moving parent, PTSD in family caregivers, PTSD in Vets World War II, Veterans Day

My Dad & Veterans Day , Prison Camp,PTSD, VA GRECC Program

November 11, 2020

Chris--pop-87-.JPG

 

I moved my own Dad so let me tell you our story on Veterans Day.

It is key to his move. He was a World War II navigator shot down in Poland and transferred to

.  He returned home a broken man with PTSD, never took a bus, drove, or flew on a plane again. His disability, like so many vets, was untreated for 50 years. He worked as an advertising agent ala Mad Men and drank like Don Draper. Our family crumbled into a dysfunctional maelstrom, as most families do.

VA GRECC SAVED THE DAY

Finally, after my mother died, I talked him into going to the VA where he did get treatment through the GRECC program. My brother who lived with him died, my Dad found his body and the house caught fire, I then moved my Dad out to a board and care and had the house rebuilt. However, it was Edgar Alan Poe’s House of Usher The perfect storm of 89 flooded the whole house again just like Hurricane Sandy. We lived on the bay off the Jersey Coast, since devastated by the rising ocean.

On Christmas Eve I got him an emergency flight to California with only his clothes and he moved in with us for 20 years, until his death. Was it a good move-?

Yes, it was a great move.

My Dad had privacy, although he was on the floor with his 8th-grade granddaughter who dearly loved him- now 40. They both had their own bathrooms. He became the center of the family when he had been a distant removed father. The great-grandchildren Julia & Joseph, my brother’s son Chris and my children Jill and Kali adored him and he loved them. He was “ Pop”.

Dec-Xmas-all-of-us-.jpg

So on Veterans Day, I would like to give you my own fraught story and remind you of the horrible struggle veterans go through salted by the anguish visited on their families. But there is a great part of the VA and its GRECC. So happy Veterans Day Dad and so glad you moved in with us and had the GRECC program to support us all.

Filed Under: Aging, aging family crisis, aging life care manager, ALCA Beneifits, Dysfunctional aging family, Emergency Plan, Euology, Long Distance Care, moving parent in your home, PTSD Vets, VA benefits, VA Benefits & geriatric care managementt, VA benefits and geriatric care management, VA GRECC Program, Veteran's Day, Veterans Administration Tagged With: elder relocation, moving parent, PTSD in family caregivers, PTSD in Vets World War II, Stalag 17, Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria, VA GRECC Program, VA PTSD, Veterans Day

Moving Parent Should Not Be Electroshock

November 14, 2014

PDF-Cover-of-11-10-12My-Geriatric-Care-Management-Agency.jpg

 

Should an older person- parent move? You have to think about their home means before you tear them out of it. It’s a nest. It keep us warm and we actually interact with our homes A function of our home environment is stimulation. Stimulation occurs whenever someone brings his or her environment into his or her conscious awareness. Women tend to do this more than men.

When we experience the challenge and at times joy of decorating, rearranging the furniture or simply noticing something that with something that’s out of place, our environment is stimulating us. Cleaning is the same yet not a joy to most.  For a senior moving out of his or her independent living environment and into another independent or assisted living environment there may be an overwhelming amount of stimulation to deal with.

 Everything is out of place, rearranged, redecorated On the other hand, for someone who has gone from living in his or her own home to living in a nursing home, the lack of stimulation may be overwhelming. So an elder’s home environment when moved can be like touching a high voltage wire. That is why having an aging professional assess the level of care an elder needs plus arrange the environment, so moving it is not an electroshock—- is a great idea.

 

Filed Under: Aging Tagged With: geriatric care manager, hiring a geriatric care manager, meaning of home, moving elder, moving parent

Elder’s New Home Should Not Be Electroshock

November 9, 2014

PDF-Cover-of-11-10-12My-Geriatric-Care-Management-Agency.jpg

 

Should and how should en elder move. Look again at the function of home to find answers to both.The second function of our home environment isstimulation. Stimulation occurs whenever someone brings his or her environment into his or her conscious awareness. Women tend to do this more than men. When we experience the challenge and at times joy of decorating, rearranging the furniture or simply noticing something that with something that’s out of place, our environment is stimulating us. Cleaning is the same yet – not a joy to most.  For a senior moving out of his or her independent living environment and into another independent or assisted living environment there may be an overwhelming amount of stimulation to deal with.

 Everything is out of place, rearranged, redecorated .The worst shock,  is for someone who has gone from living in his or her own home to living in a nursing home. There the lack of stimulation may be overwhelming. So an elder’s home environment when moved can be like touching a high voltage wire. That is why having an aging professional assess the level of care an elder needs plus arrange the environment, so moving it is not an electroshock—-but is a great, well executed, idea.

Filed Under: Aging Tagged With: elder relocation, geriatric care manager, higher level of care, moving elder, moving parent

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