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Are there any In Home Nursing?
QUESTION: About 2 years ago my mother in law had a stroke at the age of 56 that left
her 1/2 paralyzed and unable to speak. We at first attempted caring for her
at home - but needed my wife's additional income to keep up. So we had to
place her mother in a nursing facility. She did not have long term care
insurance and the cost is insane.
Since then - my own father died, leaving my mother (who has COPD final
stages) for me to care for. I'm at my wits end. I've done everything I can
to take care of both of them - but it's going to cost me my job, my family
and my sanity. Without my giving of my time and income neither of these
women will be able to continue.
I've called county social services here in Colorado and they were less than
helpful. Most informed us there was nothing anyone could do to help us, a
few suggested programs not designed for the elderly we discovered later on.
What financial assistance programs are there out there for the disabled
elderly? Are there any? Who do I contact?
ANSWER: The problem with my mother in-law is that the state approved nursing homes
do not provide the level of treatment that she currently has where she is
at - and is necessary. There have been numerous complaints about them - but
since they are overloaded and understaffed - not much can be done.
Her existing nursing home, although quite good - is costing us around $5,000
a month. We're going to be forced to sell her home - where we moved into so
that we could initially take care of her before we finally took the doctors
advice and placed her in the home.
My own mother - has Medicare, but COPD is not severe enough - although in
her case and at her level of progression (- it is always fatal at this
stage -) for her to have anyone care for her. She's still able to get
around. My problem comes into the fact that the costs going out for all of
this - are barely touched by what Medicare and Medicaid have to offer.
I was quite shocked to find out just how little they do cover, I moved her
from rural North Dakota to suburban Denver. Erroneously I believed that
since I was in a more populated area she could recieve better care and I
could watch her. I discovered that due to budget cut backs many of her
benefits she enjoyed there in North Dakota are not covered here in Colorado.
Apparently - most of the benefits available for elderly care, have to be
fought for by other social services programs. What is out on the web
sites - and what politicians and program managers "promise" is not always
there when you get down to the brass tacks of things.
Making matters worse - when my mother-in-law's last dime is gone - when
she's acceptable to the Medicare program - her medical coverage, will not
include much of the treatments she currently has, and her insurance provider
will not cover her if she has Medicare. So although they will cover her if
I move her to a state approved Medicare Nursing home - they will not
garrantee her any kind of continuous care (she cannot go to the bathroom
without help being transfered), and topping it off - they will no longer
provide the level of medical coverage she has - and I will be forced to pick
up the tab for.
I recommend to everyone now - purchase long term care insurance now, while
you can. And contact your senators and congressmen to push for real reform
of the health care and elderly care systems in this country. It isn't that
the Agencies don't do their jobs - it's that they have no funds to do the
job with.
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