Care Management Provides Peace of Mind and a Lifeline
About two years ago, Mark Kreisman noticed his mom, Devra Perch, was exhibiting signs of dementia. “I could tell something was off, but she was in her early 70s, so I thought she was too young for that,” says Mark. “I think I was in denial, but my wife convinced me that Mom needed help.” Mark lives in Chicago and wasn’t sure where to turn for help in Denver.
He got a recommendation from a family friend to contact Jewish Family Service of Colorado (JFS) for a consultation. He was connected with Eve Lowinger, LCSW, Aging Care & Connections care manager, in early 2019 and several months later, Devra was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
At first Eve checked in with Devra and helped with the basics to keep her life running smoothly. “At that time, my mom, who has been living on her own since she was widowed in 2000, was still able to take care of her own finances, grocery shopping, and most household tasks,” explains Mark. “Eve set expectations about what Mom was able to do on her own and what she wasn’t, which was really beneficial. My only other experience with Alzheimer’s was with my grandpa, but it was a different situation because my grandma was there to help, and they lived in an assisted living facility.”
Over the past two years, Mark says Eve has been a lifeline and a trusted advisor to whom he can turn with questions about his mom’s care. When Mark’s initial instinct was to move his mom closer to him, he consulted Eve and Devra’s doctor who both advised against it. When it was apparent his mom needed more care to maintain her independence, Eve communicated that honestly. She was instrumental in screening home health care workers to find caregivers with whom Devra would get along and helped make that transition smoother.
“It gives me great peace of mind to know that I can count on Eve, not only to check on my mom, but to give me advice on how to handle situations that arise, especially since we don’t have other family in Denver,” Mark shares. “One weekend when I had trouble securing a caregiver from the home health care agency, Eve stopped in to make sure my mom was eating. She’s there for us, even outside normal business hours.”
He adds that if Eve wasn’t part of their support system, he probably would have relocated his mom before she was ready to move out of her house. “Mom doesn’t want to give up her freedom and I’m trying to respect that as long as possible,” he says. “Having Eve and JFS’s support has helped tremendously for mom’s happiness. I can’t thank Eve enough. She really cares and goes above and beyond what her job requires.”
If you or an older adult in your life need help maintaining independence or have questions about aging care, learn more about our care management and consultation services.