Derek Pruitt - dpruitt@poststar.com The entrance to Frank Blasko's home sits cluttered with turtle cages, walkers, wheelchair and loads of random items in Greenfield on Friday, May, 14, 2010. Blasko admits the casual observer may not notice the difference, but several sessions with Home Instead Senior Care workers has helped him gain some control of his home He said he can see and use his dining room table and the kitchen counters are once again in daily use and not just storage spaces.
Clearing the Clutter
Greenfield man housed his hobby to deal with pain
By LYDIA WHEELER
GREENFIELD - For Frank Blasko, vacuuming while controlling a motorized chair is like trying to rub your belly and pat your head at the same time, nearly impossible.
Vacuuming isn't his only hardship. Any kind of cleaning is difficult for Blasko, who lives alone and has traveled a tough road his last 60 years.
When he was 13, his father walked out on his mother. Blasko's mother decided to move him and his siblings from Manhattan to Whitehall to be closer to her family.
A few years after relocating, his 17-year-old brother and 24-year-old sister were killed by a drunk driver.
In 1998, an accident at Finch Pruyn, where he had been employed for 30 years, caused a major back injury, forcing him to retire and live on disability. Ten years later, he lost his partner of 30 years to liver cancer.
Shortly after, Blasko, a diabetic, said he slipped into a diabetic coma and went into the hospital for two months.
Improper care, he said, caused him to get 18 bed sores, seven of which were located on the bottom of his feet.
"Those haven't healed," he said.
Bed sores led to diabetic ulcers and both his left and right feet had to be partially amputated as a result. The open wounds force Blasko to wear medical booties at all times and impair his ability to walk or stand.
"I'm a healthy person, but I can't be on my feet," he said.
Blasko moves about his house with the use of a motorized chair, but his bad back and feet make daily cleaning and household chores extremely difficult, and it shows throughout his home.
Because he's unable to work, Blasko has taken up several hobbies, such as painting, showing his two smooth fox terriers at dog shows, knitting, ceramics and caring for 50 turtles he's licensed by the state to possess and sell.
His hobbies keep adding items to his home, cluttering an already disorganized domicile.
But recently Blasko was given a grant from Catholic Charities, money that allowed him to hire a senior care expert from Home Instead Senior Care, a home health care agency, to come in and help him clean.
"The amount of stuff we got done," he said letting out a sigh of surprise. "I don't even think it's noticeable unless you've been here before."
Home Instead Senior Care is encouraging seniors and their families to help their aging loved ones clear the clutter from their home to eliminate potential health and safety hazards by offering information to help sort, organize and dispose things no longer needed.
"That's what people do; if you're older you have accumulated things," said Cindy Harrington, a spokeswoman for Home Instead.
"In our clients, it's common for there to be a loss of an animal or someone close to them and when that happens the incentive to want to go through and get rid of your loved ones things isn't there. It's tough," she said.
"It's difficult to be alone. Al liked to clean and I liked to cook and keep track of bills. If I'm just a penny off I would've spent eight hours until I found that penny," he said.
But Blasko admitted that he hasn't balanced his checkbook since his partner passed away. Now, he calls the bank to learn his balance.
The Home Instead network and Vickie Dellaquila, a certified professional organizer, compiled a list of the top 10 reasons why seniors can't or won't give up their stuff and what to do about it.
That list includes the sense of loyalty, loneliness and a change in health.
There can be signs of hoarding, such as piles of mail and unpaid bills, frustration trying to organize, difficulty with daily living and a health episode.
"If you're focusing on the huge task of clutter, break it down into small jobs to accomplish otherwise you become overwhelmed," Harrington said.
Home Instead Senior Care has more information about warning signs and advice for seniors and families with seniors who need to de-clutter on their website at
http://www.homeinstead.com/341.
