Have been talking to Maggie this week checking up on the situation. Mom continues to have trouble staying asleep all night but things have gotten a bit better.
Patient Lift: Mom is unable to really stand which has made it harder for the caregivers to transition her and help her with toileting. Maggie suggested we get a Hoyer lift to get Mom out of bed, onto the commode and into the wheelchair. This is a pad/canvas sling that goes under the patient and is attached to an hydraulic lift. The pad has a separation that will allow for commode use. Maggie has used before and says that patients usually take to it very easily. I called Carolina Medical, who contacted Pugh’s office for the “order” and I believe they are delivering it today. We will only use it if we have to. There may be times or days that it won’t be needed. (Covered by Medicare)
Wheelchair: While we were at it and discussing other issues, we ordered a new, lighter weight wheelchair that also has leg lifts so that Mom can stretch out and elevate her legs while she’s in the chair during the day. If we don’t like it, we can always return it and just get leg lifts to attach to her current chair. We thought the lighter chair might make it easier to get her down the stairs. (Covered by Medicare)
Hospital Gowns, etc: With less and less activity, Mom is getting more and more stiff making it difficult to change her clothes, etc. Maggie and Gwen recommended hospital gowns for her day-to-day dress. Gwen says Hamrick’s has a very nice selection and will pick several up on her way home or on the weekend (5 X $20). I’ll be sending her a $100 cash card for these this afternoon. I’m also going to send Maggie a $100 cash card for a couple of other items – sheepskin booties that are used to help prevent bedsores on Mom’s feet and a bedpan that Maggie seems to think we could be using shortly, and any other incidentals that she can pick up on the weekends in the future.
Other medical stuff: The visiting nurse was scheduled to come yesterday to change Mom’s dressings. Mom legs are a bit swollen and she has an additional (although very small) tear on her leg. Her right eye is still red, although the left eye which we had a problem with last week is still looking OK. Maggie is using the meds for the right eye that we’ve been using all along. The nurse has also requested a speech therapist to evaluate Mom’s swallowing mechanism – don’t know when she/he is coming. Mom also might have a slight sinus infection (green runny nose) that the nurse should have evaluated yesterday. Lastly, I’m following up with Pugh’s office for the liquid potassium later today.
P.S. Not sure I mentioned in earlier blogs that Morris is now giving us $500/month. Rec’d his first check last week.
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4 comments:
speaking of $ contributions ... I am wondering how $ contributions from kids should be handled ... have you decided the best way to handle Morris contribution? if so, share details, maybe that is the way for kids to contribute, also. thx.
It is my understanding that since Mom and Morris are married that governmental bodies (IRS, Medicare/Medicaid, etc.) will look at them as one in terms of assets. So when Morris contributes to Mom's care he is just contributing into the same pool; their joint assets are not impacted/increased.
When one of Mom's kids contributes it is a different story. Those funds become part of Mom (and Morris's) overall financial pool and can be attached by creditors, considered in their overall estate, considered when being reviewed by Medicaid, etc. That is why we wouldn't want to "give" Mom money until she absolutely needed it and that would be when she (or Morris) ran out of funds themselves. It would be better for us to set funds aside in anticipation of her needs down the road so that when she does run out we have assets to draw on. If that makes sense then, in my opinion, it would be better for each person to do the "setting aside" under their own name and not commingle these funds among the group. We should end up in the same place but not entangle each other or Mom/Morris in the process.
Mom currently has about $15,000 in cash, she also has equity in her house, net of any obligations, of about $95,000. With a monthly outflow, net of all incomes now including the Morris funds,of about $3,300, she then has about 30 - 33 months of expenses covered by her assets. Of course, barring unusual expenses like furnaces and the like and a higher level care plan (which is probably likely given the recent declines).
Sorry for the long-winded answer. Hope it makes sense.
no apology necessary, appreciate the full picture, I have a better understanding of the issues ... thx.
I believe there are other ways people can contribute, which I don't think would create a creditor problem: simply buy the item as and give it to her. For example, if Mom needs more nightgowns, buy them and send them. If Mom needs booties, buy them and send them. I'd even go as far as to say, if Mom needs a chair lift (just by way of example) one could buy it and give it to her. In other words, I think we could give her things in lieu of cash for those items she requires that would not be covered by Medicaire. Am I wrong here? Just another way to contribute, I'm guessing. More thoughts?
I have been talking to Maggie quite a bit as well - and Gwen. Gwen would like to take on more hours during the time Maggie is away. I'm going to take her up on it once Jane and I communicate about what she thinks her needs will be while she is there in December.
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