Help Keep Joanie Home

Hello All.

My name is Richard Fralic.

In 1965 I met the sweetest, kindest human being I have ever known.

Joanie was 17 years old and my high school sweetheart.

In the early years of our marriage, she worked with Physically and Mentally disabled children in a Group home setting.

Following that, she was a stay-at-home mom for nearly 12 years. She is a wonderful mom and grandmother.

Upon returning to the workplace, she worked at the Canadian Red Cross for 25 years. Joanie was responsible for organizing and doling out all of the necessary hospital equipment so that those in Hospital could get home and those who were at home could stay home. She worked very closely with the hospital occupationtal therapists.

Joanie loves children. In retirement, she volunteered in the School Elf Program, helping children improve their english written and oral skills.

Joan has been a member of the United Church Of Canada Since she was a child.

She enjoyed sports: She loved playing basketball, tennis, ringette, golf and going to the gym.

In 2017 my Joan was diagnosed with a disease called corticobasal degeneration. It is similar to a Parkinson's/Dementia type of disease. In April of 2019, following a fall, and a hip replacement surgery, and after a 6-month stay in Hospital, I brought her home.

She was given approximately six months to live.

Sadly Joanie would never walk again. She cannot speak and

requires full care, which consists of personal cleaning, bathing, medications, dressing, feeding, patient transfers, daily exercises and kindness.

I nearly lost her at the end of her hospital stay, as, unfortunately, through no fault of any of the hospital staff, she could not get the one-on-one care that she needed.

At this point, one might ask the question, why not send her to a nursing home? Unfortunately in a New Brunswick nursing home today, one worker has to attend to 8 to 10 patients, at a time. She would get very little food, as it takes 20 to 30 minutes to feed her at each meal. She would decline rapidly. Her stay there could be very short.

At this point, I would like to emphasize that we have been very successful at home with

one-on-one home care. We have developed a daily routine that works well for Joan and despite the horrific diagnosis she was given in 2017, she is happy and well cared for.

My goal for Joanie is to keep her home for as long as I can, so that she can be treated with the care and dignity that she so richly deserves.

As you may guess, the cost of running one on one home care, is great as we have workers for three shifts a day.

I am therefore asking you for your financial support so that I can achieve my goal.

I am enclosing a couple of photos of Joanie, one when we came home from hospital, and one part way through our 3 year plus home stay, so you see the value of one on one home care. At the bottom of this presentation , I have also added a short video of Joan. I am also enclosing a letter given to me by Dr. Feltmate describing her condition and prognosis.

Please right-click on the letter to see a larger view. It may ask you to open a new tab.

Just as a note to all readers, I would like to point out that I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience in, one on one home care for a patient with complex needs. I would encourage anyone out there, to keep their aged and ill ones home for as long as possible utilizing a one on one care model based on their needs.

Respectfully Submitted

Richard Fralic