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Aging on the Dirt Road Less Traveled

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 By Rosaline Lee, LPN                    

Rural isolation and rugged independence can be barriers to serving seniors in Vermont…
Guy R. lives alone in his home in Calais, Vermont. As I drive down the road to his home, I notice evidence of washouts caused by recent heavy rains.  There is no cell reception or street lights in this area, as in much of Vermont. Guy’s home is a simple farmhouse that has obviously seen better days.  The paint is peeling, the porch is rotting and the lawn is unkempt.

Guy greets me happily and proceeds to tell me the history of how this property is tied to his family. “My grandfather built this place in the 1800’s, just look at the fireplace that he put in, it’s amazing that it’s still standing. I’m still standing too.” His enthusiasm wanes when you see him look around the living room.  He sighs and says, “I know I’m not much of a housekeeper, Betty used to do everything around here. She was a good wife and she put up with me for 56 years.” He moves a cluttered mess of old bills and old medicine bottles off a side table to reveal a dust laden wedding picture of himself and his bride. Guy stares at his gnarled hands and states, “Three generations of us worked this farm and never asked anyone for a penny’s worth of help, I don’t want to start now.”
I look around and imagine what this house looked like when it was a home to a growing family but those days are gone. What is apparent to me is that this man needs some assistance.

Susan, Guy’s daughter, called TLC Homecare two days ago to request homemaking and med reminder services for her dad. She lives in Bennington, Vermont and has a family of her own. It takes her 4 hours round trip to visit her father and help him with cleaning and cooking twice a week but she said that she was becoming overwhelmed. “What will I do in the winter? What if the power goes out again? Last year he was without power for 2 days and had to dig himself out of the house to get wood for the stove.” She sighed, “He’s not taking his pills on time. He’s not washing up like he used to. I’m scared.” I assure her that this is a story I hear often and try to form a plan to provide some support to them both.

The challenges of facilitating aging in place in rural areas are many.  The self-reliance that has carried many of our elders through difficult times often turns into a life threatening behavior. The lure of Vermont’s exquisite rural landscape belies extreme isolation and disconnection from family, community and social services for many. As a home care provider, I must take into account many factors that urban and suburban agencies don’t encounter. Lack of neighborly and family “eyes on,”an essential way for elders to stay safe, is often lacking. Inability to access public transportation means that both the aged and also potential caregivers have limited resources and opportunities. Harsh New England weather conditions can run from an inconvenience to downright deadly in the blink of an eye. Combine those factors with a burgeoning, aged population who is losing their independence and financial stability and you definitely have a maddening cocktail.

There is no easy answer here. But there is hope. The large array of support services available to our seniors is amazing and heartening. As caregivers, we have a duty to work together in order to facilitate distinctive strategies for each of our clients. Collaboration is truly the key. Guy didn’t have to experience seclusion to that extent, and his daughter didn’t have to feel as though she was carrying an overwhelming burden alone.


By connecting Guy and Susan to a local Council on Aging, he was able to access funds to make his home safer and more energy efficient.  Via a senior volunteer program, Guy was able to connect with a local man who gave him a lift to the grocery store once a week. My agency’s tiered fee schedule allowed Guy to afford weekly caregivers to visit and provide housekeeping and personal care. Susan was now able to spend quality time with her father, enjoying his company instead of feeling obligated and overwhelmed. Providing care is a fluid operation, challenges arise and sometimes decisions are painful. But, we have a strong tradition of grit in Vermont; let’s turn it to our favor instead of our determent.

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