Would they need to leave their home?
How Mary’s fears were relieved
Mary dreaded the day when she would have to admit she just could no longer care for her husband alone. She felt this would be a betrayal, since they have been together for so long. She worried they will have to leave their home of 30 years and move to a nursing home, where they might not be able to live together.
While taking care of her husband has been hard, Mary felt proud to have managed. But she just couldn’t keep up with the disease that has taken away most of her husband’s memories and has been transforming him into a stranger – a French-speaking stranger, since he reverted almost completely to his mother tongue. She had no idea where to look for help.
She was impressed by her kindness
A fellow parishioner told Mary that an agency called Les Centres d’Accueil Héritage (CAH) offered services for seniors in French. When Mary invited a bilingual caseworker from CAH to visit, she was impressed by her kindness and how well she engaged with her husband. She asked questions and listened to the answers.
She wanted to know what might make Mary feel better. The caseworker offered to help Mary navigate the system and find options that would allow them to remain both independent and safe. Mary felt so relieved to have found the case worker from CAH. With some respite support and other assistance, they will be able to stay together in their home a bit longer.
Photo: A participant of a seniors program at St. John Paul the Great Family Centre