Excitement at the old farts home

[missdiane]

I talked to Dad yesterday afternoon when a storm was rolling through. It had a lot of bluster but went through quickly. I looked at the forecast and said that there was a tornado watch and the next time for rain was about a 40% chance around nine.

Well he called me this morning and around about nine, the staff went around and told everyone to get in the shower area of their bathrooms and hunker down. All kinds of banging and storm noises.Thankfully they ended up ok, but there was a lot of damage about 10 miles north and a couple of counties away, three people were killed and buildings flattened by tornadoes.

Yikes. Dude could use a little less excitement. Sounds like no one slept much after that and then Sis went over in the morning to sit in on his quarterly Medicaid assessment. Seems ridiculous for them to have to keep re-assessing things every three months. Like what? He's going to suddenly have all his mental faculties back and be jogging around the place making gourmet meals? Honestly.

Comments

[halfmoon_mollie1]

Yikes. Glad everyone is okay! I heard about the tornadoes. Scary stuff.

[bluecatartist]

I had to come back when my brain wasn't wired on steroids. I am sorry to tell you the frequent Medicare checks are for Medicare and the care place, not your dad. They want the first glimpse of his circumstances changing in how he can still care for himself, what he needs, and move him along elsewhere as determined by them. And as soon as possible and be able to fill his room w. someone else and start the money cycle again.
His health/care secondary, and he seems to like this place well enough and settling in after so many changes in short time. He sounds like he has adapted okay, has interest in doing things outside his room.

We went throught it w. MIL, the combo of Medicare, medicaid, and something through the military that helped pay for someone to come in to bathe her more often.
Every other day instead of when the aides could 'get to her.'

He is in PA? PA probably has some differences than AL in Medicaid but the paperwork is more involved is what I understood bc of changing charges as needs change. The payments due to them not always prompt to the care place. And why they'd tell us when we had no way to 'make' Medicaid pay them faster? Needing to file another claim...

[missdiane]

The facility is actually working with Medicaid to make sure he stays. They don't really want the turnover. They get the Medicare/Medicaid money either way. I think it's more of the Medicaid government bureaucracy not being a fan of covering someone in an assisted living facility rather than farming people to the cheaper nursing home. Aside from his memory and cognition, he's functioning well enough to not be moved to nursing care.

Dad and Sis are in Ohio.

[bluecatartist]

This is good! I'm glad he's in a better care place where they're not trying to move him on. I know it changes state to state, OH is being reasonable unlike AL. I'm glad I was wrong on their intentions, that's a relief for you.

We had the opposite as I said, and we know others who have had the opposite experience too - it became apparent what they were doing and we're trying to get her settled into a routine bc she was combative when upset and any change upset her. It felt threatening. Other places weren't close, visiting would not have been easy.