Getting Old Really Bites

Today I actually got to go to work and I am spending the night again at home tonight- Woohoo!! Two whole nights in a row! I do not know how to act that I got a couple of nights and one day away from “it all”. But, that all ends early tomorrow morning… yes, I am heading to a rehabilitation home near the hospital and my grandmother’s home to check out the facility. The hospital is ready to discharge her and we have struggled all day today trying to find a place for her to go to. Unfortunately, the Rehabilitation Institute in Warm Springs did not accept her into their program so we are trying to find our Plan B… two other facilities local to the hospital are full, one said No and the other has not responded. But, one said yes and that is where I am going early tomorrow morning. I just pray that it is a nice place for her to go to and that I am comfortable with leaving her there. I just hope she does not try to buck this idea and get all agitated about not “going home” soon enough. I am especially worried she will be upset if she figures out that this is not the Warm Springs rehabilitation location. All I can do is pray tonight for us tomorrow and hopefully everything will happen for the best. But, first things first… I have to do my homework when I am there touring the place tomorrow- the lady I talked to there said the hospital told them that this was for long-term care and shot that idea down real quick… I made it clear to her that she has a home up the street that we are already paying rent out-of-pocket on and my goal was to get her back there. Especially after she told what the rates were to stay at their nursing home facility… You see medicare only pays for the rehab time. After the rehab is complete and if they determine that she cannot live on her own at her current Assisted Living apartment, then she will have to pay out-of-pocket to stay at their (or any other) nursing home and the rates are around $140 per night!!! That is insane!! And you spend your own money until she has less than $10,000 to her name and her house is sold and gone too! And only then after she is broke and homeless will the facility apply to Medicaid for financial help to pay her rent there! Is that scenario not the craziest crapola you have ever heard of? Man, I am here to tell you that getting old and feeble is for the freakin’ birds! What a crock of ca-ca! So a person who has worked their entire lives and saved their money all their lives will have to spend every last dollar on nursing home rent if they don’t die suddenly one day and have to be “taken care of” by professional caregivers? This whole healthcare system just really bites. End of story.