Citizens' Voice: Seniors Push for Quality Home Care

BY JAMES B. HALE
7/11/2008

Pearl Novak has emphysema. She lives by herself. In some states, the 76-year-old would be able to choose a home caregiver from a list of qualified applicants. In Pennsylvania, she faces her worst nightmare — a nursing home.

Novak and the “My Life, My Choice” campaign have been touring the state, rallying support for a Quality Home Care Commission.

The commission would offer seniors a list of trained caregivers that would make house calls for those who don’t want to check into nursing homes.

Novak, a strong opponent of nursing homes, has lived in the same house her father built in 1938. Her children might be able to help, but they'all moved away, a decision she said she encouraged.

"I don't think mothers or mothers-in-law should hang on to their children," she said.

She said she would rather not be a burden, but that leaves her all alone. Novak’s daughter lives 30 miles away and might be able to help, but gas prices have made that difficult.

Novak said she just needs somebody to come by every now and then to help with "the small things", like washing dishes, cleaning the house or doing yard work.

"I like to do things on my own as much as I can, but there are things I can't do," she said. "When I have a good day, I go to the store."

According to the campaign, about 75 percent of the seniors they have talked to agree with Novak and would rather receive care at their houses than at nursing homes.

Despite these numbers, 80 percent of the state funding goes to nursing homes while only 20 percent goes to home caregivers, said a spokeswoman for the campaign. Their goal is to reverse those numbers.

And it's a goal that appears to have a lot of support. At an event at the Wyoming Valley Jewish Community Center Thursday, seniors overwhelmingly supported the cause by filling out postcards to send back to state legislators.

If enough support is gathered, the legislation might make it.

"All we can do is try. If we support it, I think it has a good chance of passing," said Novak.

State lawmakers have already started showing interest in supporting caregivers. Rep. Chris Carney, D-Dimock Township, announced Thursday the Caregiver Tax Relief Act, a bipartisan bill that would create a $2,500 tax credit for caregivers helping individual seniors with long-term needs.

To Novak, the campaign just makes sense. Seniors like her want help and should be given a say in how they are cared for, she said.

"It's My Life, My Choice," said Novak. "And that’s what I want, a choice."

jhale@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2054