Thursday, November 14 | Cause Connected, Post-Acute Care

What Home Care Means to Me: Deborah's Story

By Deborah Mower, Senior Creative Writer

“Just another fleeting moment,” my grandpa used to say. One to always find the joy in each moment – no matter how fleeting it was – best described my grandpa.

Grandpa was the light during a dark day. The roaring laugh at a party. And the wise counsel when life got complicated. He made everyone around him happier, kinder, better.

But at the age of 76, he suffered a major stroke that destroyed a third of his brain. The doctors said his time was short. At best, he might live a year. Maybe two. He lived for 12 years. In his own home, with my grandma, whom we was married to for 67 years. (They died three weeks apart).

I believe he lived that long because of the great care he received in the comfort of his home.

I’ve never met such compassionate nurses, aides and therapists in my life, as the ones who helped care for grandpa. Even though he could barely speak, he always managed to utter, “thank you – I love you” to his caregivers.

During those 12 years, his caregivers became the light in his day. The laughter in his ears. And the blessings in his life. What goes around comes around, they say.

I’m forever grateful for the home care professionals who cared for my grandpa. You can never put a price on compassion, dedication and pure heart. Because that’s what they gave him. And because of those caregivers, our entire family was blessed.

Deborah Mower is a senior copywriter at Netsmart. She loves the power of storytelling and enjoys sharing the stories of how Netsmart home care, hospice and senior living clients are helping others just like her grandpa.

Deborah's Story