Home Health Agency with Experience and Understanding

Published in the Senior Spirit, Amherst, MA

Tom Porter wasn’t expecting to return to Vermont when he took an early retirement from his employer in Denver, Colorado after 18 years of traveling around the country for them. On his very last day at work, his parents called to say his Dad’s test results were back and it wasn’t looking good. His dad had cancer. It had just been discovered and was already in the advanced stages. His summer plans were cancelled and Tom returned to his native Vermont and spent the next three months staying beside and helping with the needs of his 61 year-old Dad. “I had never been a “caregiver” in the sense of someone relying on me to meet their every need. Dad called out to Mom and wished her to be there constantly. I drove him to doctor appointments and we were even able to go fishing for a short while, early on… But the fact that Dad did not want to leave home, made it much more demanding on Mom and myself.”

Does the story sound familiar? The facts change in every case, but the trials of care-giving are enormous and a lot of families don’t realize there is professional help out there. Agencies are set up to aid seniors and their families through such times. You can start by contacting your own area Senior Center or Council on Aging. They know of resources, both government and private, that are ready and willing to assist in care giving. Tom’s parents were dyed-in-the-wool Vermonters and seemed less likely to reach out for assistance. Tom watched as the 3 months drained their energies. He, instead, found support from friends who recommended a local group that might be able to help. A local home health agency was able to come in and help with a few meals for his parents. They did some shopping and were even able to drive when Tom was not available to meet the schedule. Others were able to advocate for more comfort for his dad.

What does Tom do these days? Well, 20 years later he’s the director at a home health agency in Amherst. His experience, with his own family and experience in understanding the needs of families in similar situations, has caused him to open an agency for private pay home health care for those families that wish to remain at home verses relocation or allow them to return home sooner from a hospital stay. “I like to say, ‘Having our service is what you would do if you were able to visit your parents or grandparents. You’d make sure they were comfortable, up in the morning and ready for bed in the evening, taking their medication/s and knowing things are cleaned up and organized. You’d take the trash out on the correct day and replace the liner. You’d drive them to an appointment or even take them shopping.’ You can’t always do all of those things…but we can.”

Tom’s Mom passed in 2006. She had someone from her local area home health agency come in every week to aid her. It gave Tom peace of mind and reassurance of her care.

Tom Porter and Elite Home Health Agency are located at 409 Main Street, Suite 208 in Amherst and can be reached at 256-HOME (4663) or at www.EliteHHA.org for more information about their services.