“It is emotionally and physically draining.”
Natasha Lazartes
39, Brooklyn New YorkTherapist
I am 39. I had to care for my father, who passed from cancer in 2019; my mother, who passed in November 2021 from cancer; and since my mother’s passing, I have inherited the care of my grandmother. She has moderate dementia and is considered a high-risk person to leave home alone. We applied for Medicaid Long-Term Care to receive a Home Health Aide since early November of 2021. She finally got a home health aide in January 2022, but it’s been a nightmare. The agencies are so desperate to fill positions that they’ll hire anyone. On many random days, she was left without a personal assistant because the agency could not find a replacement on time. I’ve changed agencies several times. My husband has always been an excellent support. We use the security cameras in our apartment to monitor her while we’re at work. How does it feel on a regular basis? It is physically and emotionally draining. The elderly health care system is broken, neglected and unable to meet even basic needs.
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