Eden Haven is a “lovely society”.
While the decision to place her mother into a home was extremely difficult, Careen said it was the best choice for her and her mother.
“It is a physical pain that I can’t describe, it’s a heavy weight that makes you ask ‘why am I doing this?'”
These are the words that Careen Bosch told the Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS when she had to decide what to do with her mother.
“My mother was a self-sufficient women who lived with me for 20 years, until the age of 79.”
Careen’s mother, Maureen McKenzie, now lives in a semi-frail care unit at Eden Haven in Edenvale, as a result of her deteriorating state and the level of higher care needed.
Maureen suffers from glaucoma and has become blind as a result of it.
“She was battling to walk around the house,” said Careen.
Careen hired night nurses to try take some of the pressure off herself and to try maintain a healthy relationship with her mother, but eventually her mother needed more intensive care than the nurses could provide and Careen started looking for old age homes.
When Careen moved her mother into Eden Haven last year, she had negative preconceived ideas as to what old age homes were, but was pleasantly surprised by Eden Haven.
“The atmosphere is positive, it put my mind to rest.”
Eden Haven is its own “vibrant society” as it has so many little groups who interact with each other.
The first weeks after the move, Careen said she cried because of the guilt.
“Visiting the home every day helped me to come to terms with it,” she said.
Because her mother is no longer living at home, and requiring high levels of care, the relationship between mother and daughter has improved.
While the decision to place her mother into a home was extremely difficult, Careen said it was the best choice for her and her mother.
“I love my mother but here she gets the care she needs.”
