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Constant care keeps woman, 101, happy at home

Eagle-Tribune - 11/4/2019

Nov. 4--METHUEN -- Gelsomina Palese, a longtime Methuen resident, has been blessed.

First of all, she has lived for more than a century. She celebrated her 101st birthday Oct. 21, along with five generations of her family.

While more people are living to be 100, even now only .0173% of Americans achieve this feat, according to GenealogyInTime Magazine.

Besides living such a long -- and healthy -- life, Palese, called Mamie by family and friends, receives loving, round-the-clock, one-to-one care in her own home.

Her two daughters, Donna Hopler and Linda Corneau, are her primary care providers. Both have full-time jobs and when one is working, the other is taking care of their mother.

Corneau's boyfriend, Michael Montecalvo, a Vietnam War veteran who served in the Marines, is also involved in the effort.

"You can't get one-to-one care in a nursing home," said Hopler, who is a licensed practical nurse. If she and her sister were not able to provide the care their mother needs, she would have to be in a nursing home, Hopler said.

Besides caring for her mother, Hopler, 69, works 64 hours a week. Asked why she is caring for her mother in addition to all the other patients on her case load, she pointed out that residents of nursing homes often have to give up their personal belongings.

It's also hard "not being able to sleep in your own bed," she said.

Palese has dementia. People with this condition often don't recognize when they need to eat, Hopler explained.

If a nurse or nursing assistant asks a patient if he or she is hungry, the patient might say no -- even though that person needs to eat, she noted.

Making sure their mother gets adequate nourishment is the "key to keeping her well," Hopler said.

Palese has always had a fondness for wine -- in moderation, of course. When she was asked if she would like to have a glass of sangria during this reporter's visit, she said, "Oh sure!"

"She always had wine at the table," Hopler said. She never drank excessively, she added.

The other caregiver, Corneau, 65, is a lead administrator at Pepsico in Wilmington. Caring for her mother is "very rewarding," she said. "I love my mom."

Palese appreciates the caring support she receives from Hopler, Corneau and the rest of her family.

"I had a good family," she said. "I love my two daughters."

A couple of days before her birthday, Corinna Perreault, Hopler's daughter, and Brittany Wiegref, Perreault's daughter, visited Palese.

"She's definitely kind," Wiegref said of her great-grandmother. "She's done a lot for my family and I am appreciative of everything she's done."

Over the years, she said, her great-grandmother has spent many hours taking care of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Palese worked at the Oxford Paper mill for 25 years until it moved to Maine. Her last job was at Anton's Cleaners and she worked there until she was in her upper 70s.

"I always worked," she said.

How has she managed to live such a long life?

She never smoked and did a lot of walking, according to her daughters. After she retired, she continued to be active by caring for the younger members of her family.

Palese is also religious.

"She's holier than the pope!" Hopler said with a laugh. "She never missed a Sunday at church."

Her mother attended Sunday Mass at Corpus Christi Parish until she was 98 or 99, Corneau said.

Her husband, Albert Palese, a World War II Army veteran, died in 1996.

Longevity runs in Palese's family. Her grandmother, Gelsomina Crocco, died at 101 1/2 in 1970.

Her great-great-granddaughter, Seline Gonzalez, was born Oct. 3. Seline's mother is Liana Plaza of Methuen, who is the daughter of Erika Gaznick of South Lawrence.

Hopler is Gaznick's mother. Gaznick is also the mother of Aaliyha Santos, who is 17 months old.

Hopler cares for Aaliyha five days a week and brings her to Palese's home.

"She (Palese) really looks forward to those visits," she said. "It helps keep her going."

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(c)2019 The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.)

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