When Mary Greenfield passed away in January 2011 at the age of 89, it was fitting that her obituary made mention of four workers from the Moore Options for Seniors program.

The four workers were not only friends to the woman who in her younger days was a “board girl” who climbed up on the table to write the stock prices on the stock exchange board, they were also the people who allowed her to maintain some measure of self-sufficiency and remain in her home.

They helped her get up in the morning, made her breakfast, got her dressed and ensured that she took her medicine. Perhaps even more importantly, they talked and laughed with her, sharing their lives with her while developing the type of relationships that endure forever.

“It saved us so much frustration and stress,” said Mary’s daughter Sue Woods, who struggled to care for her mom who suffered from Alzheimer’s. “It just helped us out so much and my Mom really loved them.  They were so good to her.  Elizabeth read the paper to her and Denise ate breakfast with her so that she didn’t have to eat alone,” said Woods.  “It was just so wonderful to have the support I needed.”

In addition to being the primary caregiver for her mom, Sue was also faced with helping her husband who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and her son, who is autistic.  “I don’t know what I would have done without the caregivers for my Mom,” she said. “It would have been overwhelming. She certainly couldn’t have stayed home all day alone.”

Moore Options for Seniors, The Moore Center’s senior care program, helps create a safe and secure environment for seniors and provides the care and support that enables them to continue functioning as productive members of their communities.  There is a complex continuum of senior care available, from help with simple household chores to comprehensive adult day care.

The program exists not only to provide essential services that allow seniors to maintain their independence, but to forge long lasting relationships between caregiver and client, the type of relationship that allowed Mary to maintain her sense of self. Mary was not defined by her illness, but by who she was as a person – a caring mother, loving wife, doting grandmother and a traveler who had a keen sense of adventure. Mary’s caregivers were introduced to all of these sides of this magnificent woman.

“Mom’s friends from The Moore Center knew her inside and out,” Sue said. “They knew that she just wasn’t the person who they cared for and assisted every morning – she was a person with a rich life history and a ton of great stories to tell. By being there at a time when she really needed them, they made her life so much happier and more fulfilling. Isn’t that what we all want at that age?”

Laura became eligible for Medicaid and the Choices for Independence waiver and began to receive the support and services that helped her remain living safely in that same apartment.  She had a personal care service provider that helped her with bathing and dressing as well as other activities such as shopping, laundry, cleaning and transportation.

Things were going well until Laura developed new medical issues that required hospitalization.  She was released to a rehab to gain her strength back but it was obvious with this new turn of events that Laura could no longer live safely at home alone.

Laura has family that has supported her through all of these life changes and now thanks to a program offered by the State of NH, her family has become her solution.

Laura is currently enrolled in the Kinship Care program and has moved into the home of one of her daughters.  Under this program, her daughter and her family now provide all services that Laura requires to remain living in the community and out of a high cost facility.  Laura lives with her daughter and husband in a lovely home where she has her own personal space but also has access to the family and shared living spaces.

This arrangement is not always perfect but the family was adamant that they did not want their mother in a nursing home.  They were willing to care for her but had the same issues that everyone in this economy faces – How do we stay home and provide care and give up our full time employment?  Thanks to the Kinship Care program the family receives a tax free stipend that helps make this situation more feasible.  It doesn’t replace their wages but it supplements their household income as they care for Laura.

Laura has the supervision and support that she needs and is able to be a real part of the family.  Her quality of life has improved, she eats meals with the family, interacts with the grandchildren and enjoys being “at home”.  She will tell you that she loves being here at home because she can keep to her own schedule, eat what she wants, contribute as she is able and that people still need her.

Moore Options for Seniors is proud to be one of the two pilot agencies that worked together with the Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services to establish this program.  We now offer the program to eligible participants across the entire state.

Her name is Viola and she lives in an apartment in downtown Manchester. She has been a widow since she was 29, raised her three boys pretty much on her own and is now 82 years old. Everyone knows her and likes her and her neighbors keep a watchful eye out for her.

Viola sold her house many years ago and decided that she wanted to be closer to other people and have access to activities and opportunities to socialize.  With a small savings from the sale of her home and a very limited fixed income, Viola was able to successfully move into an affordable apartment and has lived here for 9 years.

Recently she has become confused and forgetful. Her friends and neighbors have spotted her outside, wandering around apparently not knowing where she is or where she is going.   She has changed significantly in her appearance and her demeanor and it is obvious that something is wrong.

Her family sought medical attention and Viola was quickly diagnosed with advancing Alzheimer’s.

Medically she was fairly healthy but her safety and ability to care for herself was now in question.  She takes some medication but with the recent changes in her behavior her family is feeling uncertain about her ability to manage her medications herself.

With the help of some of the caring people in her building and with the cooperation from her sons, Viola was placed in one of our Adult Family Care Homes.

Viola has very loving and attentive sons but one lives out of the state and the other two are single and holding full time jobs.  They have discussed placing her in a nursing home but they resisted that idea because their mother has always had a great fear of being placed in a facility.  They were searching for some other option and Adult Family Care fit perfectly.  Viola was already eligible for Medicaid and the Choices for Independence Waiver and was clearly a good fit for the program.

After careful matching, Viola was placed with a great family in Milford NH.  The family is comprised of a mother and father, 3 young boys, 2 cats and a guinea pig.  Viola has become part of the family and has the best of both worlds.  Because the mother works from home, Viola has the constant supervision she needs and also the opportunity to be part of a real family.  Viola always loved cats but has not been able to have one since she sold her home.  This is her favorite part of the arrangement.  She loves the animals and is able to help care for them every day.

The provider family not only receives a stipend for the care they provide to Viola, they feel like she has enriched their family in many ways.  The children had no living grandparents and have adopted Viola as their own.

They obviously have their struggles and face many challenges as Viola continues to decline gradually but this family together with Viola’s sons are keeping her safe and happy at home.

Adult Family Care is another program offered by Moore Options for Seniors in conjunction with the Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services that demonstrates our  commitment to keeping people in their homes and communities for as long as possible.