November 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- November is
National Caregivers month and Purple Heart Homes adaptations made to Veterans'
homes helps make life easier for caregivers by creating safer barrier free
environments both inside and out.
According to a March, 2014 Rand study entitled
'Hidden Heroes: America's Military Caregivers', there are 5.5 million
caregivers across the US. Of that, 1.1 million care for Veterans that
served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The remaining 4.4 million are
caring for WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm or those that were injured
during training missions.
Staff Sergeant Cory Collins, two-time Purple Heart
Recipient, was the sole survivor of an IED explosion on November 2, 2005 that
left him with 30 broken bones in his body. His hip is held together with
what his wife Paula calls two lag bolts. He suffers from PTSD, TBI and
had his left leg amputated above the knee.
Paula Collins says getting Cory up each morning is her
biggest challenge because he is on 10 different pain medications.
Purple Heart Homes adapted the Collins home making doorways
wider, a bathroom handicap accessible, installed hardwood floors throughout the
first floor, replaced all the round door knobs with lever handles and built a
handicap ramp and deck.
"Before the home was handicap accessible Cory would watch
TV. He would skin his knuckles in narrow doorways, and helping him get into a
bathroom was a major issue," said Paula Collins. "The
adaptations made to our home has given me time so I can take an hour for myself
to workout at a gym, because I know he can move safely throughout the house
with ease," Collins added.
Vietnam Veteran Joe Recupero suffers from severe Parkinson's
disease as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. Recupero had to climb 12
steps from his driveway to get into his home. His existing bathroom floor
was rotting out. Getting in and out of the tub shower with no grab bars
was dangerous and difficult.
Debbie Fiori, Joe's caregiver and significant person in his
life said, "when Purple Heart Homes moved the driveway and built a ramp to
the front door it made it easier for both Joe and me."
Purple Heart Homes built an addition on to Recupero's home so
he could have a handicap accessible bathroom, higher toilet seat and grab bars.
Debbie Fiori said, "I have been a nurse for 38 years
and the adaptations made to Joe's home enables me to continue to work and have
peace of mind that he can move about safely in the home. His Parkinson's has
not advanced that he needs his wheelchair, but when he does he will have no
problem going from room to room and using the bathroom, which eases my future
caregiving responsibilities."
Caregivers of Veterans experience loss of employment, thus
loss of needed income when care is given 24/7. They suffer from emotional
and physical stresses. According to the Rand study, military caregivers
consistently experience more serious health issues, have greater strains in
family relationships and more workplace problems than non-caregivers, and post
9/11 military caregivers fare worst in these areas.
"We have expanded our Veterans Aging in Place program to
be able to help more Veterans and their caregivers with the creation of
chapters to do less costly projects that make a world of difference – like a
simple ramp, wider doorways, grab bars, lever door handles and handicap
accessible bathrooms," said John Gallina, Executive Director of
Purple Heart Homes. The majority of applications received for needed
renovations come from Veteran Caregivers.
All needed adaptations for approved older Veterans are done at
no cost to the Veteran or family thanks to generous support received from
foundations, in-kind donations of materials and generous support from communities
and individual donations.
Purple Heart Homes salutes all caregivers providing comfort,
support and daily assistance to our Veterans. They work quietly behind
the scenes and deserve not only our support, but also our entire nation.
To learn more about Purple Heart Homes Aging in Place program,
to submit an application, to form a chapter and to make a donation see: www.phhusa.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment