Ginny Strawn counts on her in-home care. The last few years have brought her a series of health challenges, leaving the 56-year-old native Oregonian needing assistance to perform many activities for daily living.
Ginny had been living in Colton, Oregon with her family for several years, when her husband passed away in 2003. It was around this time that she was also diagnosed with several health problems that would change her life as she knew it. Deep vein thrombosis made it painful to walk and challenging to get around her home without a walker or a wheelchair. Something as simple as standing up could sometimes be an excruciating task. “There were just certain things I could no longer do on my own.”
Until this point, she had spent much of her life raising her three children as a stay-at-home mom. Suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly, things had shifted. Being dependent on her children was not a position that Ginny wanted to be in and getting the care she needed in a rural part of the state was not going to be easy. “I didn’t want to be a burden to my kids.”
So she packed up her things and bought a home in Salem, where she’d have easier access to medical care and be closer to her extended family. Once in Salem, Ginny was able to get the care she needed provided to her in her own home. Oregon’s innovative state law ORS 410.020 guarantees that citizens like Ginny have a say in who provides their care and where it takes place. It also can bring a tremendous savings to taxpayers as in-home care can usually be offered at a fraction of the cost of institutional care. On average, in-home care costs the state about $600 versus at least $2,800 for nursing home care.
Ginny says that in-home care has allowed her to maintain independence and dignity. Besides assisting with basic household chores like laundry, washing dishes and vacuuming that help maintain her home, Ginny’s caregiver also provides critical supports that Ginny cannot live without – things like bathing, grocery shopping and meal preparation. “Without the option for this kind of care that allows me to stay in my home, I would probably just give up on life,” she says.