Having a disabled parent in your home is difficult. Not only are you trying to adjust to the new routine, but they are too.
David's mother came to live with us on April 1st of this year, and no it wasn't an April Fools joke.
She needs both hips and knees replaced and has refused to do so at this point in her life. Which of course, the future is dismal for her and of course her caretakers. She is losing the ability to walk or even stand. She's in a wheelchair and uses a walker to get up from her wheelchair to use the restroom or get in bed, with assistance of course. She cannot be left alone for any length of time, because she can't be trusted to stay put.
Hospice has certified my mother-in-law as terminal. Her condition is not improving and only deteriorating. They provide very high powered pain medications for her so she can live comfortably while it controls the pain.
Hospice comes is 3 times a week to assist with bathing, medication and health supplies, but other than that we have to pay for a nurse to sit with her while we are at work. The cost of assistance is astronomical.
Unfortunately, there is no aid through Medicare or through other programs to off-set these charges that we incur monthly while having her live with us.
Families suffer from lack of funds to assist them with the elderly. It's already a huge change is someones life when they take in a parent, but to add the financial burden, it becomes even more burdensome.
The only possibility for help that we were told about is through Medicaid. ( which is aid through the state) This is only offered if one financially qualifies and the person would have to reside in a nursing home. The state would then take her monthly income (which is very little) and would pay the nursing home the difference. They would probably pay around $5000.00 or more monthly. If there were some kind of financial relief offered by an agency to keep the elderly at home it would be a whole lot cheaper.
David's mother came to live with us on April 1st of this year, and no it wasn't an April Fools joke.
She needs both hips and knees replaced and has refused to do so at this point in her life. Which of course, the future is dismal for her and of course her caretakers. She is losing the ability to walk or even stand. She's in a wheelchair and uses a walker to get up from her wheelchair to use the restroom or get in bed, with assistance of course. She cannot be left alone for any length of time, because she can't be trusted to stay put.
Hospice has certified my mother-in-law as terminal. Her condition is not improving and only deteriorating. They provide very high powered pain medications for her so she can live comfortably while it controls the pain.
Hospice comes is 3 times a week to assist with bathing, medication and health supplies, but other than that we have to pay for a nurse to sit with her while we are at work. The cost of assistance is astronomical.
Unfortunately, there is no aid through Medicare or through other programs to off-set these charges that we incur monthly while having her live with us.
Families suffer from lack of funds to assist them with the elderly. It's already a huge change is someones life when they take in a parent, but to add the financial burden, it becomes even more burdensome.
The only possibility for help that we were told about is through Medicaid. ( which is aid through the state) This is only offered if one financially qualifies and the person would have to reside in a nursing home. The state would then take her monthly income (which is very little) and would pay the nursing home the difference. They would probably pay around $5000.00 or more monthly. If there were some kind of financial relief offered by an agency to keep the elderly at home it would be a whole lot cheaper.
For instance, we would only need approx. $1500.00 monthly to keep her at home in addition to what she already receives. It's a catch 22.
Can you say that this is a backwards situation?
It doesn't take a mathematician to do the math here.
No wonder our economy is collapsing....
