My friend Linda and I have dealt with the same issues over the years concerning care of elderly parents. Her mama, bless her heart, is 94 years old and has lived in a nursing home for 5 or so years. She tried living with family and it just didn't work, especially when Aunt Linda took on the role of mother to a bunch of kids. Her mom loves the place...it's been her home for years. She was even their beauty queen one time! About two years ago some genius at the state level started looking at the pre-admission processes and grandfathered in a bunch of current residents. Ms Mamie was one of them. Fast forward to now and the state is cutting funds for nursing home residents if they can a)feed themselves and b)walk. Never mind that they can't get in and out of a shower without help. Medicare and private insurance together can cover a 30 day stay for rehab with the goal of going home, if there is one. It's more of a money maker if you can get 'em well and out and it happens a lot. HOWEVER, there is very little funding for long term care unless you were rich and could afford a long term care policy. Very pricey!
In October of this year Linda and her family were notified that the previously "grandfathered people" had to be re-admitted with a whole new set of standards. This poor old woman who draws only 700 bucks a month (which goes straight to home) and now they're taking away her medical insurance. This is bullshit, people! To not set up Obamacare exchanges is one nasty thing, but kicking old people out on the street or into the home of unprepared relatives sucks a big fat one. The first assessment was done by someone with as we say in the south "poor people skills." It is the right of the resident and their family to challenge the decision which was send her home to a decrepit house that's not fit to live in or on somebody's couch. She cannot be alone. She is 94 freakin' years old! This makes me so mad I could slap my grandma. She probably would have slapped me back. I know my mama did!
If you are a resident of this state and didn't realize this, join the crowd. Until it became personal to me through the staffs of numerous long term care facilities I never gave it a thought. When it's your mama and daddy you have to sit down and pay attention because now YOU are the adult and it is scary as shit what with all the damn republicans running around hatin' on the ACA. Admit it asshats...if it was Romneycare you'd love it. The next step in their process will be a hearing by phone and possibly an appearance before a judge. And this is justice? Kiss my ass governor Haslam. You are nothing more than a younger version of Lamar and Howard. Okay, onto happier thoughts.
There's a guy who looks like a hippie on a mission picking up pecans up front because let's face it ya'll...they're free and I'm old and mama taught me never to waste the gifts of mother nature. Fo freeee! The cold front is making its' way through and I'm just believing that we really are prepared for it in spite of sitting on this hill with two uncovered vehicles and a shitload of pecan branches just waiting to snap power lines. It's a scary ride down the hill to the bottom of pecan lane.
peace~
No comments:
Post a Comment