By Maia Santamaria
Director of Northwest Georgia Center for Independent Living
Rome, GA
According to research conducted by the medical journal Health Affairs, residents of nursing homes account for “a disproportionate share of COVID-19 deaths,” reaching as high as 20.9% in 2020.
Because of the higher chance of dying from COVID in a nursing home, our consumers are understandably concerned about being placed in these facilities. I think we would all feel the same way.
Fortunately, this past year we were able to help provide support for many of our consumers facing this frightening possibility. I wanted to share one of these stories with you.
M.H. is a 67-year-old woman who resides in Bartow County. She experienced a spinal injury in 1992, and subsequent deterioration of her spine that has limited her mobility.
Like many of our consumers, when the COVID pandemic hit, she became even more isolated than she already was. Caring for herself in her own home was becoming increasingly difficult, and she feared going to a nursing facility because of a higher chance of contracting the virus.
In order to care for herself at home, a number of medical health aids were needed, such as shower chairs, walkers, and other items. These expenses added up quickly for her, and so a friend told her about our center.
We were so thrilled to be able to provide her with the simple and inexpensive support items so that she could stay safely inside of her own home.
Here’s what she shared about her experience with NWGACIL:
It was such a blessing to me when I learned about the NWGA Center for Independent Living that helped me maintain my independence with a much needed new wheelchair.
The chair I had been using was worn to a frazzle, and had been used by my mother for more than 20 years.
My Independent Living Coordinator, Tereasa Lowry, guided me through the process of obtaining a grant to replace my old wheelchair. It provides me with the support and maneuverability required to get me around each day.
Disability benefits are minimal, and with the replacement chair I received, I am now able to leave my home for doctor visits and other necessary trips, as well as easy access around my home.
Thank you to Tereasa and the rest of the team at the NWGA Center for Independent Living for helping me live independently and stay safely in my home and out of a Nursing Facility.
Although we celebrate this victory with M.H., it’s important to remember that advocate positions like Tereasa’s require funding. In our Rome office alone, $52,000 in salaries were lost for employees like Tereasa who provide much-needed support to members of our community.
These hard-working advocates provide life-changing, and many times life-saving, support for Georgians across the state. Our advocates’ salaries are not extravagant, and having our centers adequately staffed makes all the difference for members of our community.
Having enough staff in our offices is the difference between our community members being lost in the shuffle or restored to connection and dignity. It’s the difference between them being abandoned to preventable sickness or having access to safety, shelter, and health.
In short, having our GILN centers sufficiently staffed can be the difference between life and death for Georgians throughout the state.