Advocating for Better Care
Happy (belated) Mother’s Day!
Doesn’t Mom look vibrant in her crown? This year’s Mother’s Day was better than most. My brother brought Mom and cupcakes to the farm so Skip could photograph her wearing the flower crown I made using flowers from our Saturday market. Unfortunately, rain made for a (too) quiet farm stand, so we had plenty of unsold flowers — white sweet peas, yellow baptisia, lilies, glads and other stems from our fields. It smelled amazing!
The best part of our annual crown event was that Mom, who has been dealing with Alzheimers for 10+ years, is much happier. That’s because we’ve moved her to an assisted living community in north Austin. Buckner Villa, @bucknersrliving, a faith-based nonprofit, is a 25-acre, fenced campus that is home to seniors of all abilities. Now Mom can take long walks with other active 85-year-olds who enjoy living in a pretty, tree-filled setting attended by caregivers who take obvious pride in their work and can handle the nuances of Alzheimers.
This is a HUGE change from where she was in Bastrop. While both facilities are expensive ($6000+/month) there is no comparison between the care she’s received. The Bastrop facility itself is depressing — a sunken building beside a busy highway with almost no outdoor space —this poor design affects all who live and work there. But what made it downright scary was the revolving door of caregivers, many of whom, though perhaps able to attend to physical needs, were often disinterested in the residents.
While caregiving is difficult in the best of situations, it’s especially challenging caring for someone with Alzehiemers because every case is different and the patient’s moods and abilities continually shift. Right now our Mom requires sustained loving attention, exercise, and guidance; her best days are filled with simple tasks that distract, engage and give her life meaning. That’s why Austin programs like @ageofcentraltx and @mealsonwheelscentraltexas were so vital when she lived with us for eight years.
Ultimately, what’s needed most is innovation. Dementia care must be deinstitutionalized. Currently, a proliferation of extremely expensive, cookie-cutter, soulless, hotel-like elder facilities are sprouting around Austin. But these miss the mark. What our elders need are communities like @Hogeweyk in the Netherlands where they live with dignity in a village-like setting in houses grouped by, “similar lifestyles…they can visit the pub, restaurant, theater, the supermarket or one of the many offered clubs…and it goes without saying that this is all supported by trained professionals.” (See https://www.bethecareconcept.com/en/)
Living in community where connection and beauty are fostered addresses so much of what ails us all. That’s one reason that while caring for Mom, Skip and I helped to create Village Farm, Austin’s (and likely the nation’s) first agrihood of Tiny Home built around a certified organic/historic farm. Brought on by the crisis of losing the farm to development, we worked with the new property owner and many partners to create a new approach to living, one that combines old with new and celebrates a farm rather paves it over. We knew this approach could work because for more than ten years our customers had been telling us how much they wanted to live on our farm. They wanted to participate in the life of the farm, be with others who shared their values and to admire its natural beauty and historic buildings. And now they can. We look forward to helping many more farm-centered communities sprout around the country.
Our elders deserve similar innovative living options. If you have not yet had to care for someone with Alzheimers or visited an assisted living facility, it’s just a matter of time before you do — Texas will soon be home to half a million people with Alzheimers.
One way to help is to support House Bill 1673. This proposed bill requires that caregivers working with Alzheimer’s patients receive at least four hours of training on how to care for them. Only four hours. The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services Committee is holding a public hearing on this bill on May 17. (See https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/families-of-alzheimers-patients-call-for-better-care/)
So, as our biennial Texas legislature winds down to its final two weeks, I urge you to contact your elected officials. It’s easy. When I called my Senator, I felt lighter knowing I was helping those who can no longer advocate for themselves. Your involvement may be just what’s needed to get this bill through the Senate. Happy Mother’s Day!
Not sure who to call at the Legislature? https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home
What is Texas doing about Alzheimers? See Texas State Plan for Alzheimers -https://www.dshs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/legislative/2022-Reports/2022-Biennial-Update-for-Alzheimers-State