Rhonda told me, desperately searching for a way to fight off the tears that were filling her endlessly deep, blue, ocean-like, eyes, “Today’s the one-year anniversary, but I know she’s much better now,” referring to the death of her mother.
Rhonda Pepper was her mother, Vera Ruth Goodrich’s caregiver. She was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). This is due to progressive nerve cell loss in the brain’s frontal lobes; it is the area behind the forehead or just behind the eyes.
Mrs. Goodrich, who went by Ruth to all who knew her, was a respected, long-time banker in Rocky Ford and La Junta. She had lived in her home with her son Richard after the passing of her husband, Rhonda’s father, but about six years ago, Rhonda started noticing some behavior changes in her mother. “She started getting up in the middle of the night and getting dressed. She would set the table for the entire family. She was doing things out of nature, financially,” Rhonda said.
This was the first of many cues in a succession, including, to Rhonda’s dismay, Ruth, who was still driving, got completely lost during a blizzard, ending all the way up in Limon. “This was in the early spring of 2009. I didn’t think we’d find her,” said Rhonda, whose husband Tracy, son Dylan and brother Richard made the drive, picking Ruth up from a diner.
She was already living with Rhonda and her husband at that point. “She moved in with us in January of 2009 but we didn’t get the diagnosis of Frontotemporal Dementia until May. Finally, everything we had been experiencing, it pulled it all together,” said Rhonda, with a look that can only be described as bittersweet. They finally had the answers to the why? but now what?
Caregivers are so often put in this role or a position of a role reversal.
Rhonda said in the beginning her mother could stay home alone. “Friends came in to take her to do things. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they would take her to the Senior Center in La Junta and Swink.” Rhonda, who is a poised person, said she tried to maintain a level of organization as a caregiver, she kept things structured. “Mom would get up and get herself dressed in the morning and then I would leave her lists of little jobs to do while I was at work. She would take care of the dogs for example.” Rhonda said the fear of her wondering off was ever-looming.
In the fall of 2010 doctors confirmed that an auto accident that Ruth had been involved in during the summer excelled the progression of her FTD, compounding her dementia. Rhonda quit her job to stay at home with her mother full time. She said, with love and compassion, “That was my job.”
Prior to the accident Ruth was able to talk and walk, with assistance, but Rhonda said all of that faded. “Even though she didn’t speak, I could tell her disposition through her eyes. I could tell if she liked someone or a situation,” said Rhonda, her daughter, her caregiver.
As a full-time caregiver, Rhonda sought outside help a few hours a week, bringing in respite care. “This allowed me some down-time. I could go sit at the park and read a book; go to my own doctor appointments; attend group meetings for caregivers; it just allowed me to remove myself from the environment and recharge my batteries.”
Until or unless someone is in the position of being a caregiver, people don’t realize the effects, physically and emotionally, it has on them. The term respite literally translates to a time of rest.
Rhonda shared with me how blessed she felt to be able to quit her job and stay at home with her mother. “She made my life better,” she said. She also shared the realistic views behind closed doors and what it’s really like to care for an ailing adult. “It’s like taking care of an adult infant. Every two hours I would take her to the bathroom; I would shower her; I dressed her; I would change her wet and soiled pants; I would feed her.” Rhonda also said she was never fully rested, only sleeping lightly at night because she always had one ear on her mother.
As a dutiful and loving caregiver, Rhonda remained loyal to her mother’s lifelong regiments and to the things that made her life quality, making sure her hair was properly set, lips were adorned with lipstick each and every day and her favorite food was prepared and fed to her. Rhonda said, “I think it’s important, even for the CareProvider coming in to know the schedule, to know what she likes, what her favorite foods are.”
Ruth passed away on November 30, 2014. Rhonda said that while she was able to spend time with her mother during her final months, she really misses the conversation that they once shared, which is the sad part of dementia.
Gina (Paradiso) Cathcart is the director of CareCorner, Ltd., Colorado Respite Care. She is a healthcare educator, passionate about service to others and quality of life. She can be reached at 719-691-5206
Medicare has been changing yearly and 2026 will be no exception. What is ahead for Medicare this fall and why?Carriers are still feeling the effects of the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in 2022, but just took full effect in January of 2025. Beginning January 1, 2025, people with Part D plans through traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage, won't pay more than $2,000 over the calendar year in out-of-pocket costs for their prescription medications, the donut hole or coverage gap is eliminated and there is a new payment plan to spread drug costs through the year. Those changes came at a cost to other benefits. The Inflation Reduction Act significantly increased the carriers expenses and in response benefit cuts occurred for 2025 and will continue for 2026. Carriers had to absorb the steep cost increase for the mandatory prescription drug plan changes by balancing the budget, which included increases in beneficiaries copays, deductibles added to plans, the plan maximum out of pocket increased, non-medical benefits were reduced, a prescription drug deductible was added, and prescriptions were re-tiered or eliminated from the list of covered drugs. 2026 will see further adjustments as the carriers remove most benefits deemed non-medical. Seniors who have grown accustomed to benefits such as an over-the-counter allowance or food subsidy may see those benefits sharply reduced or eliminated this fall. Plans must be submitted to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for approval in early spring to be ready for the enrollment period in fall to be active for the following calendar year, so carriers have had little time to study the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on overall costs. Insurance moves slowly. The changes we are feeling in 2025 are the result of a bill passed in 2022 and will continue to affect plans in 2026. This fall will feel like a continuation of the benefit cuts seniors faced in the fall of 2024 as carriers work to balance the budget while considering the increased prescription costs and trying to maintain the plan benefits seniors rely on. For more information visit: aismedicareandmore.com Editors Note: This article was submitted by Jolynn Allen with AIS Medicare & More. Jolynn is the owner of AIS Medicare & More and may be reached at: 719-404-3202
In Colorado, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) is a Medicaid-funded program designed to assist individuals with disabilities or elderly individuals who need help with daily activities. These services enable individuals to live independently in their own homes rather than in institutional settings. IHSS provides support with tasks like personal care, housekeeping, meal preparation, and medication management.Eligible participants must meet specific criteria, including being a Colorado resident, requiring assistance due to a disability, and meeting income and resource limits. Services are tailored to each individual's needs and are delivered by trained caregivers, who may be family members or professional aides.IHSS is an essential resource for people with disabilities or the elderly, enhancing their quality of life by promoting independence while providing necessary care. It also alleviates the financial burden of long-term institutional care, offering a more cost-effective and personalized solution for those in need. Editor's Note: This article was submitted by Amazing Care Home Health Services. For more information they may be reached at 303-755-3170.
For 40 years, Sangre de Cristo Community Care has provided compassionate, expert support to patients and families facing chronic and serious illnesses. Now, we are proud to introduce our new Dementia Care Program, a groundbreaking initiative designed to enhance the quality of life for individuals living with dementia while providing much-needed support for their caregivers.This Medicare-approved program offers dedicated care navigators, 24/7 nurse support, caregiver training, and respite careall aimed at enabling individuals to remain in their homes and communities for as long as possible. With a mission deeply rooted in dignity and quality of life, our team ensures that both patients and caregivers receive personalized guidance and access to essential community resources.Available throughout Southern Colorado, this program is open to Medicare beneficiaries with a dementia diagnosis who are not in a nursing home or PACE program. Self-referrals and provider referrals are accepted.If you or a loved one could benefit from this program, please call 719-553-1919 to learn more. At Sangre de Cristo Community Care, we continue to expand our services with compassion, knowledge, and positivitybecause every moment matters. Editors note: This article was submitted by Stephanie Ivankovich, Marketing Communications Manager for Sangre de Cristo Community Care, and many be reached at 719-542-0032 or by email at stephanie.ivankovich@sangre.org.
We provide in-home care and companionship to individuals who may be struggling from the complications of an illness, surgery, or injury, may be aging and/or declining in health, or a disabled adult.We are peoplecaringfor people.Woman owned and operated in South Colorado.CareProviders are in your area: Prowers, Kiowa, Baca, Bent, Otero, and Pueblo County.
We provide in-home care and companionship to individuals who may be struggling from the complications of an illness, surgery, or injury, may be aging and/or declining in health, or a disabled adult.We are peoplecaringfor people.Woman owned and operated in South Colorado.CareProviders are in your area: Prowers, Kiowa, Baca, Bent, Otero, and Pueblo County.
We provide in-home care and companionship to individuals who may be struggling from the complications of an illness, surgery, or injury, may be aging and/or declining in health, or a disabled adult.We are peoplecaringfor people.Woman owned and operated in South Colorado.CareProviders are in your area: Prowers, Kiowa, Baca, Bent, Otero, and Pueblo County.