Seniors displaced by flooding still waiting to return to residential care facility - WCAX
Seniors displaced by flooding still waiting to return to residential care facility
MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) - About a dozen seniors are still waiting to go home to their residential care facility after they were displaced by last month’s flooding.
The Gary Residence has been in Montpelier for 104 years. Now, the staff is working to make repairs so they can bring the seniors back.
Gary Residence Executive Director Dawn Palowski remembers the night of the flooding and when she got word from the local fire department about the rising water.
“We need to move the residents and start our emergency plans of evacuation,” Palowski said.
Staff and others helped evacuate 12 residents and their belongings to higher ground. They then worked with the state to find long-term temporary placements for those residents.
“It was like a phone telethon just trying to communicate with families, residents and other facilities and explaining their care needs,” Palowski said.
The entire basement flooded past the record level in 1927. The first floor took on heavy water and damage, forcing them to gut the historic interior during recovery.
The Gary Residence is also months away from opening an 18-bed memory care facility which, thankfully, avoided flood damage.
“The Gary Residence is unique because there are people living here and this is their home. That takes on a heavier priority for us to know what can we do to speed up that process to get everyone going,” said Mike Yandow of HB Cummings Construction.
It’s estimated rebuilding and complying with new flood ordinances will cost about $2 million. Palowski says they’re still waiting on money from their insurance, from FEMA and more help from the state.
“We’re spending thousands of dollars every day and we are not generating revenue. We’re just there. And anyone knows long-term care is not inexpensive,” Palowski said.
Senior housing and care has become a focus of the state in recent years because of our aging demographic and workforce shortages, and low Medicaid reimbursement rates.
Local agencies are fielding questions about FEMA, benefits and how to fix homes before the snow flies.
“We’re very concerned about people who may not be testing their systems and will be needing repairs and won’t be able to access the workforce and supplies to make those repairs,” said Luke Rackers of the Central Vermont Council on Aging.
Back at the Gary Residence, Palowski says the majority of their residents want to move back in.
“The hugs and the tears and joy of them coming home. That’s why I keep doing this, so I can see that day because this is heartbreaking,” she said.
People with questions or who need assistance can call the Central Vermont Council on Aging’s statewide Helpline at 1-800-642-5119.
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