A house fire brought Lois to Conneaut Lake. A minor stroke brought Lois to Wesbury’s Grace Rehabilitation and Health Center. A place she would call home for two years. Lois liked living at Grace. She enjoyed the hustle and bustle of family and friends coming to visit with their loved ones and being around her fellow residents at activities and programs. She also relished the visits with her son, John, who as a personal trainer has an extremely busy work schedule. John felt comfort and relief knowing that his mom was well taken care of.

During her time living at Grace, Lois improved. A point was reached where she found herself in the space between the need for an around the clock care environment and being stable enough to potentially be on her own. Ultimately, Medicare decided for her to be discharged, creating a dilemma for Lois and John.

As a personal trainer, John motivates his clients to bring their personal best. He also holds himself to the same standards and felt that the living environment for his mother had to be the best option available. His schedule did not allow him to take on the role of a part-time at-home caregiver. After looking at the viable options, it was being accepted into Help at Home with Wesbury’s Care Cottage program that worked out best, and with gratitude, John couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.

“The staff at the Care Cottage has been great,” says John. “They text me, and send photos of Mom letting me know what she is up to when I can’t be there in person to make sure she is doing well.”

Lois likes the staff and feels safe. She is living with two housemates and receives twenty-four/seven, around-the-clock, Companion Services to assist with her daily needs. All Care Cottage residents can receive the following services: assistance with bathing, dressing, ambulation, exercise, meal preparation, laundry housekeeping, medication reminders, social outings, and medical appointments. They may also participate in daily crafts, games, movies, bird watching, gardening, or as Lois says, “I can’t wait for summer, where we can go outside simply to relax and enjoy the peaceful setting.”

Care Cottage Room & Board fee is determined on an individual basis and never exceeds the resident’s income and affordability. Additionally, each of the three residents is required to cover the cost for eight hours of Help at Home Companion Care to pay for 24-hour care coverage. This cost is $156 per day. However; this fee is typically covered by PA Waiver funds, which is home-based Medicaid. For more information visit Wesbury’s Care Cottage Page.