The phone rang. 3:15 in the morning. I had been caught in the middle of a pleasant dream, which was a nice change of pace considering the nightmares I’d been having for the past several weeks. As my eyes struggled to open, fighting past the crust from far too little sleep, a sudden dread came over me. I wondered if the call could have been about my son at college or even my father living alone in a big house.

It was a hospital calling to tell me that my father had been brought there. Apparently he had suffered a heart attack and had fallen and been injured. The doctor told me that he would be okay, but that he was going to need some type of support at home when he was released from the hospital. Knowing my father, he wasn’t going to accept any type of elder care from family or otherwise.

I got out of bed, got dressed, threw on a hat, and raced over 60 miles to the hospital, arriving just before 5 AM. I was allowed to go in and see him, but only for a few minutes. Throughout the next several days, family members from all over the country had come in to visit him, fearing the worst yet everything the doctor was telling me, and him, led me to believe that he could make a near full recovery from this heart attack and the injury sustained in the fall.

I talked to my father about hiring home care for the elderly, but no matter what I said, he wasn’t going to have some strangers coming to visit him at his own house. He said he would be fine, that he would drive himself to physical therapy and other appointments, just as he had been doing for the past ten years.

I talked to the doctor about my father’s refusal for any type of elder care at home and all she said was that it was up to my father ultimately. If I could not convince him that home care for the elderly was the best option for him, and that would allow him to make a full recovery and continue to live life to the fullest, then there was nothing else I could do.

I was incredulous. I couldn’t believe the hospital would release someone who didn’t have the proper support system at home. The doctor told me that since my father was an adult, he was in charge of his own decisions and that I would have to find a way to respect those decisions.

I can’t say that it has been easy, but I try to support him any way that I can, even though what I’m providing isn’t really elder care.

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Donna Wrabel, LMSW

Co-Owner at At Your Side Home Care

For most of us, the word "home" evokes warm feelings of comfort, security and well-being. For older adults, home also means holding tight to cherished memories and maintaining self-esteem and independence. When illness, injury or age make life a little more challenging, remaining at home in a comfortable, familiar environment encourages recovery and enhances the quality of life. Home can be defined as a private residence, an independent or assisted living facility or even a short term stay in the hospital, we recognize the additional benefits provided by a personal, professional assistant.

Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.

Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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