When her mother said that she needed assistance, Savanah relocated from Milwaukee to Omaha to become her mother’s full-time caregiver. Her mother, Virginia, a 49-year-old veteran, was going blind and had major injuries after losing her footing and falling down the stairs. Savanah says, “Safety is a major concern. She tries so hard to be independent, even though she has lost 99% of her vision. That is why I moved here to care for her.”
Savanah assists her mother with bathing, dressing, meals, and taking her medication as prescribed. She is attending the nursing assistant and medication aide training course at Caregiver Support Services, a training and support center for caregivers, where she is learning the proper procedures to assist in her mother’s care. “I wanted to provide my mom with the best care, and Caregiver Support Services is teaching me how to care for her properly.”
One of Savanah’s greatest challenges has been transportation to and from the Veteran’s Administration(VA) building. Right now, she and her mother take the bus. “Getting organized and being able to get my mother to and from her doctor’s appointments at the VA have been a real challenge. My mother is unable to see and often feels restless while we are riding the bus.”
The good news is that there is help available for veterans and their caregivers in Omaha. The VA offers a variety of long-term care services for qualifying veterans. The VA also offers a new national VA Caregiver Support Line . “The VA recognizes the important role caregivers play in the lives of veterans,” says Joni Dittbrenner, the Caregiver Support Coordinator at the VA. “The answer for Savanah and her mother might be the VA’s vision assistance program.”
Savanah plans to contact Joni at the VA to gain additional support for her mother. She says, “It is difficult and sometimes challenging; she cries a lot, but I try to encourage her. I know we will make it, but for now, I am her eyes. I am her caregiver.”
If you are a caregiver in need of support to care for a loved one who is a veteran, you can call the VA Caregiver Support Line at (855) 260-3274 or contact Joni directly at (402) 995-4618.
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