MOON TWP. — Veronica Berton said her life was largely defined by caregiving for more than a decade.
First, she cared for her mother, and later her father, after they could no longer care for themselves.
“It's a commitment when you step into that role, and it's one that you shouldn't take lightly if you're not willing to do it. You literally shut your life off,” she said.
She had done it alone for years. Then last summer, she found out about Hope Grows, a nonprofit organization based in Moon Township that provides a variety of caregiver resources, including therapeutic gardening, phone counseling, classes and support groups.
“They listened to all of my trials and tribulations that I had to deal with, because no one understands what you're going through,” said Berton, of Bridgeville. “No one understands what you're going through unless they've been a caregiver, and even then, they don't understand, since every situation is so different.”
Her mother died several years ago, her father died in December. She said Hope Grows provided a great deal of support during difficult times.
“I had more help the last two weeks of my father's life than I had all those years because of them. They taught me how to ask for (help). Caregivers just get out and do their job, you know? Without question,” she said.
Lisa Story, founder and executive director of Hope Grows, bases much of the programming out of her own home. She came to the realization of the support others needed after caring for her father.
She turned to nature to deal with his death, particularly since he was an avid outdoorsman.
“It became a place of solace. It became a place of just boring my pain into the earth,” Story said. “And from that, I created healing and restorative gardens around the house and property.”
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, approximately 34.2 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 or older in the past year.
Some provide that care for long stretches of time around the clock.
“Caregivers are really, really struggling mentally and emotionally. And I felt that was an unmet need there,” Story said. “So our services are basically cultivating caregiver wellness, and we're looking after the mind, body and spirit of that caregiver and providing services based around that.”
Hope Grows provides solace for caregivers in many ways. The phone counseling program, Think Caregivers, has been funded by UPMC for Life for the past two years. It also organizes support and educational programs, including life after caregiving.
“Caregivers, especially those that aren't getting any type of emotional or mental support during caregiving, or finding after their loved one has died, they pretty much fall apart, not just from grief and bereavement, but an identity loss,” she said.
A bed-and-breakfast and other services have been in development.
It’s been a godsend service for Berton, who utilizes several of them.
“When I walked through that door that very first time, it was like these huge arms just wrapped around you and brought you in, and it was just this warmth,” Berton said. “You're OK. You're going to be fine. That's what the feeling is when you get involved in this organization. You're going to be fine. And they get you through it.”