Today was specifically left wide open to tend to whatever surfaced between yesterday and this morning. I wanted to cram as much "business" stuff into today as possible since Monday is a holiday and the court hearings are next week. It was a good day with much accomplished. Confirmed plans with the company combing the house and sent my taks list to them. Created a log of all the bills I have received so far, most are way past due, and submitted the report to my attorney, the GAL, and the commonwealth's office. Received confirmation that their yard has been cleaned up (per the neighbors request that it was getting out of hand). Imagine that! Contacted the Medicaid social worker with the information requested to complete the Medicaid apps. Thank God I have the information that I have...certainly makes life WAY easier. A little disappointed that she didn't call me back as now nothing more can happen until Tuesday of next week.
Just before Hailey and I headed over to the nursing hone, the PT there called. She wanted to let me know that Etta is no longer eligible for Medicare coverage and will need to be private pay or Medicaid as of next week. Well, what this really means is that Medicare may not be paying as of next week, but neither is Medicaid (applications are pending) and private pay won't be possible either just yet. James and Etta have a limited amount of assetts that will be liquidated by the nursing home before Medicaid will cover the costs. At over $6,000 per month, PER PERSON, their money will run out very quickly. Then, their SSI will go towards their care each month with the state making up the difference.
The bigger picture here is the reason why Etta will not be Medicare eligible anymore. The PT team working with Etta have assessed that Etta is not progressing and is likely not going to progress further with her physical abilities. While she has walked with assistance/support down the hallway, she is unable to take steps without inch by inch being told what to do- lift your right foot, place it down, lift your left foot and place it down, etc. Each day when she returns to therapy, it is like ground hog day. Etta does not recall what to do in order to take steps. Literally. While she is certainly physically weak, she also lacks the cognitive ability to know how to move herself. For who knows how long, she didn't move and has now loss that knowledge. I guess it never occured to me that a grown woman could forget how to walk. Something so basic and taken for granted. Hearing this assessment is hard to swallow; its concrete evidence of the situation she came from and the reality of Alzheimer's. Nothing I can do can change it and like a moving freight train, I can't stop it either. Everyday that I see them both and they recognize me, I am grateful for that day, for that moment. I have to be because tomorrow is always uncertain.
I'm running in the Charlottesville Women's race tomorrow- its for breast cancer. I haven't trained for it as I did last summer. Been a little preoccupied lately :) But I know that as I push my hardest to finish the race, on my own time, I will think of Etta. I will remind myself that the sweat and tough hills are something to be celebrated simply because I am able to experience it.
Just before Hailey and I headed over to the nursing hone, the PT there called. She wanted to let me know that Etta is no longer eligible for Medicare coverage and will need to be private pay or Medicaid as of next week. Well, what this really means is that Medicare may not be paying as of next week, but neither is Medicaid (applications are pending) and private pay won't be possible either just yet. James and Etta have a limited amount of assetts that will be liquidated by the nursing home before Medicaid will cover the costs. At over $6,000 per month, PER PERSON, their money will run out very quickly. Then, their SSI will go towards their care each month with the state making up the difference.
The bigger picture here is the reason why Etta will not be Medicare eligible anymore. The PT team working with Etta have assessed that Etta is not progressing and is likely not going to progress further with her physical abilities. While she has walked with assistance/support down the hallway, she is unable to take steps without inch by inch being told what to do- lift your right foot, place it down, lift your left foot and place it down, etc. Each day when she returns to therapy, it is like ground hog day. Etta does not recall what to do in order to take steps. Literally. While she is certainly physically weak, she also lacks the cognitive ability to know how to move herself. For who knows how long, she didn't move and has now loss that knowledge. I guess it never occured to me that a grown woman could forget how to walk. Something so basic and taken for granted. Hearing this assessment is hard to swallow; its concrete evidence of the situation she came from and the reality of Alzheimer's. Nothing I can do can change it and like a moving freight train, I can't stop it either. Everyday that I see them both and they recognize me, I am grateful for that day, for that moment. I have to be because tomorrow is always uncertain.
I'm running in the Charlottesville Women's race tomorrow- its for breast cancer. I haven't trained for it as I did last summer. Been a little preoccupied lately :) But I know that as I push my hardest to finish the race, on my own time, I will think of Etta. I will remind myself that the sweat and tough hills are something to be celebrated simply because I am able to experience it.