So I had someone come to the house and access my husband's needs. What a waste of time. All she did was ask him how he feels, his medical history, what meds he takes, what equipment we have, how much pain is he in, check his feet, his breathing. I'm thinking HE IS FINE I am the one that's not fine.
I told her I needed someone to help me with him. I am on a waiting list with a local place but they're very slow as they're short staffed it could take months or a year. She recommended another place and I went to the website. It looks like they accept medicaid and self pay. He is not on medicaid he doesn't qualify. I went through this last hospital stay a year ago when I considered a NH. The other option seems to be self pay. She said they would ask me questions to see if he qualifies.
What can I do now? Is this my only option self pay or medicaid? The reason he doesn't qualify for medicaid is because he has property in his name and we have over the certain limit in the bank account. They offered help with all that when he was in the hospital but it can't be done overnight. They wanted him out right now.
I'm not sure what to do. I suppose I will wait for months to see what the other place has to say.
There are also certified Medicaid planners.
I’m sorry you are having such difficulties .
If your husband is home bound , ask the doctor to order home care help from Medicare . They may send an aide a few times a week . At least it would be some help .
Who came to the house to do a needs assessment ? Where was this person employed ?
I contacted my local bureau on aging, and they sent someone out. She was a nurse. When I contacted them I specifically asked for help with him.
Hubby is bed bound and does not walk. Just an aide a few times a week would be a tremendous help as I have to do everything including bathing and toileting.
My late husband was completely bedridden in our home for the last 22 months of his life and was under hospice care that entire time.
They sent out a nurse once a week to start, aides to bathe him twice a week, along with supplying all his needed equipment, supplies and medications all covered 100% under his Medicare.
Now my husband had a supra pubic catheter, so I only had to empty his catheter bag twice a day, so I'm hoping you're at least using a condom catheter for your husband as that will make your life a bit easier.
I did however have to hire an aide to come in the mornings to put my husband on the bedside commode so he could poop. I was fortunate that my husband was a morning pooper, so that worked out well.
It's a shame that the person who came out to do your husbands assessment didn't give you any good ideas how to make your life a little easier while you wait to place him.
I wish you well as you work through what is best for you both.
If you want him to go to a facility, it seems likely that you should separate your finances (including asset value), spend down by self-pay from his share, and apply for Medicaid as soon as his money is below the Medicaid limit. Until he gets into a facility on self-pay, you can hire private carers as part of the spend down.
Perhaps you should have a look at the information on the site. For example, click on ‘Care Topics’ on the top RHS of the screen, then on M for Medicaid – plus all the other relevant topics. This is a complicated subject, and you need more information in order to ask the right questions and to understand the answers. DON'T just "wait for months to see what the other place has to say".
Google Medicare.gov compare and follow the instructions to find a home health agency in your zip code.
This will consist of a nurse who must do something for him, provide a service like sorting his meds. I know this is probably something you can easily do but she has to have a reason to be there before she can order a CNA to come help him with his bath or change his sheets. The CNA must touch him, so something personal for him. The nurse can also order PT/OT or Speech therapy to evaluate what they can do for him. They will take his vitals and provide advice for you as a caregiver.
It’s like having a doctors visit in your home. They report their records to his doctor on an ongoing basis. He will have to have recently seen his doctor or be planning to see the doctor after they come. I have done this on Telemed in the past. Some will allow this. This to get it started.
This is covered through Part B of Medicare insurance, not Medicaid. It is a lot of help but it is not a sitter or someone who cleans the house etc. that would be private pay. This is Home Health. He should qualify.
You also might ask the case manager who came out from AAonAging for a copy of her assessment. This might give you information to share with the primary or Home Health to move things along. Perhaps she left you something stating which ADLs he needs help with etc. Just a thought.
You can hire direct pay from an agency to help you out. In my town the agencies have a 3 or 4 hour minimum. We found it helpful to get someone out in the morning 5 days a week.