Terry Lynch
My mother — and I – received thousands of hours of in-home support from direct care workers during the last ten years of her life, most of it provided under the Medicaid program. In the course of those years, we learned that direct care goes well beyond “care.” It is also about empowerment, dignity, and self-respect.
Laura’s story is just one of many restorative experiences that drive my advocacy work on behalf of direct care workers and their uplifting impact on the lives of people like me and my mother, Leila Lynch.
Leila was a beautiful woman who sometimes struggled with the appearance changes that come along with aging. One morning she felt especially low after she awoke. Her body ached. Looking in her hand mirror made the start of the day even more difficult. She told me, “I can’t believe what has happened to me. I don’t like looking at myself any more.”
When Laura, one of my mother’s favorite caregivers, arrived, I described what had just happened. Laura rushed upstairs and returned with an assortment of brightly colored blouses and my mother’s favorite necklaces. “Leila, it’s time to start wearing your summer things,” she said. “Let’s see what you want to wear today and then have coffee on the porch.”
Within an hour, my mother’s day had been transformed by this wonderful and creative woman. Laura helped my mother shower and soon had her laughing at stories about Laura’s mischievous children. Then Leila chose her aqua blouse, black slacks and her mother’s pearl necklace. She put on her makeup, using that same hand mirror, while Laura did her hair.
On the way to the porch, Laura had my mother look at herself in the front hall mirror. “Not bad, huh, Leila?” My mother smiled and told Laura she was “really something else.” Then she had coffee and breakfast outdoors on a beautiful spring morning as she chatted and laughed with one of her new best friends.
I told this story to an audience of direct care workers at an appreciation day luncheon and asked them how much they thought this experience was worth to a mother and her son. “It’s priceless,” one of them answered.
Talk about an understatement.
Terry Lynch
Board member
Direct Care Alliance
Terry’s strong advocacy for long term care workers is so appreciated here in WI and everywhere. His stories are so very detailed and effective. They touch the hearts of caregivers, providers, care receivers and anyone who hears them. He brings public awareness of the long term care workforce to the forefront with compassion and clarity Thank you Terry for your continued support of caregivers!