WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP: ELDER CARE
to see the patient,” Adamek says. “I
also tell those involved, ‘You guys are
a unit, and I’m wrapping my arms
around all of you,’ because if the
caregiver starts to have burnout
or imbalances that (cause) them
distress, it is going to directly affect
my patient.”
They try to connect patients and
their caregivers to resources that
might help ease the burden, shore up
reserves and safeguard the caregiver’s
mental health — things like adult day
care centers or other forms of respite
and financial resources that might
enable a caregiver to hire help. Some-
times, they agree, a caregiver simply
needs to feel seen.
“As a medical provider, I try to
acknowledge that,” Javaheri says. “I
try to tell them, ‘I understand that you
are providing care to your loved ones,
Discover
Cuban
Rhythms.
Alfredo Rodríguez & Pedrito Martinez | MAR 21
San Francisco Symphony | MAR 7
Michael Tilson Thomas’ farewell tour brings Mahler’s Symphony No 9.
Sharon Shannon & Socks in the Frying Pan | MAR 17
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration!
Vladimir Feltsman, piano | APR 3
Beethoven’s variations and Schubert’s four impromptus
Fred Hersch, piano & Miguel Zenón, saxophone | APR 9–11
Arlo Guthrie | APR 26
20/20 Tour with Folk Uke featuring “Alice’s Restaurant”
mondaviarts.org
90
comstocksmag.com | March 2020
and I understand how difficult that is.’
Most of the time, they feel unappreci-
ated. They feel they do all this work,
and nobody sees it.”
The budget for aging
It’s hard to afford help. Home health
aides can cost upward of $4,000
each month, as do private rooms in
assisted living centers, and a room
in a skilled nursing facility can set
one back at least $8,000 each month.
Depending on the circumstances and
type of facility, patients may be eligi-
ble for assistance through Medicare
or Medi-Cal. Medicare generally does
not cover long-term stays, but for
individuals with limited resources or
income, Medi-Cal will contribute to
long-term care.
Sharon Martarano took care
of both her parents in their golden
years. Her mother had already died
when Martarano was laid off from her
position as facilities manager for the
Sacramento Children’s Home. She de-
cided retirement was the best option,
allowing her to be more available for
her father, who she helped move from
his home to a facility that allowed
him to transition from independent
living to assisted living and, finally, to
skilled nursing. (Martarano’s hus-
band, Steve, is a frequent contributor
to Comstock’s.)
As finances grew tighter, she re-
membered a segment she had heard on
NewsRadio KFBK’s “Assets and Aging”
program that referenced a financial
assistance program through the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs. Since
her father was a World War II veteran,
perhaps he qualified. She says it was
a lengthy process involving a lot of
paperwork, but in the end, it “made the
difference” in her father being able to
afford an assisted-living facility.
Annie’s parents are unable to pay
for assisted-living care. She says that
despite working hard all of their lives,
ongoing health issues and a lack of
insurance consistently depleted any
savings they built up. Elder care is
a complex puzzle of balancing time