... by his treatment of animals.” (Immanuel Kant)
So... if we agree with that quote, then could we take a leap to:
"We Can Judge the Heart of a State by its Treatment of its Elderly."
IF that is agreeable, then I would have to say that the State of Louisiana either has NO heart at all or, at best, an infinitesimal one.
IF that is agreeable, then I would have to say that the State of Louisiana either has NO heart at all or, at best, an infinitesimal one.
Look out. Here comes the rant. I am going to TRY to keep it as succinct as possible.
There is a woman here, we'll call her "Ginnie", who worked for my family for 34 years. Since my mother's death in 2001, I have tried to help her when I could. She was born in 1917 which makes her 96 years old at this writing. I have stayed in touch and, upon my return to assist my elderly aunt with her business & health issues, I have spent some time with this woman as well.
There is a woman here, we'll call her "Ginnie", who worked for my family for 34 years. Since my mother's death in 2001, I have tried to help her when I could. She was born in 1917 which makes her 96 years old at this writing. I have stayed in touch and, upon my return to assist my elderly aunt with her business & health issues, I have spent some time with this woman as well.
"Ginnie" has had both knees replaced, long enough ago that there is no longer any benefit to her from that. She lives with chronic pain. One hip was also replaced a number of years ago. She had a double mastectomy in 2009 after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 92. She had no children and she has no relatives living here. The daughter of her best friend was like a daughter to her... but she passed away nearly two years ago leaving "Ginnie" with no one to check on her every day. After that, I began trying to get "Ginnie" some help. Just someone to check in on her and make sure she was okay. The saga began.
In September of 2012, I helped "Ginnie" complete the paperwork to (hopefully) move her over to Medicaid so we could get help from Long Term Personal Care Services (LTPCS). Her net Social Security check was less than $600/month and she was paying nearly $260/month from that for her Medicare Supplement policy!! We received a letter indicating she made TOO MUCH (!!!) to qualify for full Medicaid (WHAT?!?!?) but she was set up as a QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary). That has helped in that the Medicare premium is no longer deducted from her Social Security check and she was able to stop paying the $260/month Medicare Supplement premium as Medicaid became her new Medicare Supplement. At least she would have more money to pay her bills each month. That was somewhat helpful.
Here is where it gets ridiculous. I called the Louisiana Office of Aging and Adult Services to try to get her some in-home assistance with cleaning and cooking. Her home is in disrepair and very difficult for her to navigate with her walker, which she needs to use. She has fallen several times in the house. In September of 2012, I was told (by a government employee "automaton") that only those on "Full" Medicaid (which "Ginnie" was not) qualified for Long Term Personal Care Service. She DID qualify for the Community Choices Waiver which would provide her with a worker in her home... BUT... at that time, they were processing applications... (wait for it!)... dated MARCH OF 2008!!!! Are you KIDDING me?!? Those are applications completed FOUR-AND-A-HALF YEARS ago!!! I'm not sure we have that much time to wait!! "Ginnie", after all, had just turned 94 at the time.
Fast forward. I thought perhaps I should call and try again in February 2014... just in case the income threshold had changed and maybe "Ginnie" would now qualify for the LTPCS in-home? Get this, folks. I can't find anything out about her Medicaid status until that office processes her signed authorization for me to ask questions. Sigh. In the meantime, they did tell me she DID qualify for the Community Choices Waiver (sound familiar?)... BUT... they were now processing applications... (wait for it again!)... dated JUNE OF 2008!!! Let me do the math for you. From my first conversation with them in September 2012 to February 2014 is 17 months. They have managed to get through applications from March 2008 to June 2008... 3 months. It has taken 17 months to process 3 months of applications. Do you wonder why it takes so long at the Drivers License Bureau? Wonder no more. The efficiency curve in the world of bureaucracy is a reverse curve.
I really have no idea where to go from here. All I can tell you is that I see people using all manner of government issued assistance they don't need to buy things they don't need. I see people driving new Cadillacs getting disability payments they don't deserve as they head to the casinos to lose some more money. I see people getting free cell phones & more service than I choose to pay for (talk/text/data). But I don't complain since I would rather have no cell phone than ask the government for one. That's just the way I am. But I do NOT understand why a 96-year-old woman who has worked hard her entire life and remains fiercely independent, living alone and making the best of it, cannot get the state to pay for SOMEONE to check on her and help her do the things that are hard for her to do. It just seems like the right thing to do.
I remain highly concerned about and less-than-pleased with our government. I will be mailing a printout of this post to the local State Senator and to the Governor of the State. It won't do any good... but maybe I will feel a little bit better. Or not.
Until next post...
Here is where it gets ridiculous. I called the Louisiana Office of Aging and Adult Services to try to get her some in-home assistance with cleaning and cooking. Her home is in disrepair and very difficult for her to navigate with her walker, which she needs to use. She has fallen several times in the house. In September of 2012, I was told (by a government employee "automaton") that only those on "Full" Medicaid (which "Ginnie" was not) qualified for Long Term Personal Care Service. She DID qualify for the Community Choices Waiver which would provide her with a worker in her home... BUT... at that time, they were processing applications... (wait for it!)... dated MARCH OF 2008!!!! Are you KIDDING me?!? Those are applications completed FOUR-AND-A-HALF YEARS ago!!! I'm not sure we have that much time to wait!! "Ginnie", after all, had just turned 94 at the time.
Fast forward. I thought perhaps I should call and try again in February 2014... just in case the income threshold had changed and maybe "Ginnie" would now qualify for the LTPCS in-home? Get this, folks. I can't find anything out about her Medicaid status until that office processes her signed authorization for me to ask questions. Sigh. In the meantime, they did tell me she DID qualify for the Community Choices Waiver (sound familiar?)... BUT... they were now processing applications... (wait for it again!)... dated JUNE OF 2008!!! Let me do the math for you. From my first conversation with them in September 2012 to February 2014 is 17 months. They have managed to get through applications from March 2008 to June 2008... 3 months. It has taken 17 months to process 3 months of applications. Do you wonder why it takes so long at the Drivers License Bureau? Wonder no more. The efficiency curve in the world of bureaucracy is a reverse curve.
I really have no idea where to go from here. All I can tell you is that I see people using all manner of government issued assistance they don't need to buy things they don't need. I see people driving new Cadillacs getting disability payments they don't deserve as they head to the casinos to lose some more money. I see people getting free cell phones & more service than I choose to pay for (talk/text/data). But I don't complain since I would rather have no cell phone than ask the government for one. That's just the way I am. But I do NOT understand why a 96-year-old woman who has worked hard her entire life and remains fiercely independent, living alone and making the best of it, cannot get the state to pay for SOMEONE to check on her and help her do the things that are hard for her to do. It just seems like the right thing to do.
I remain highly concerned about and less-than-pleased with our government. I will be mailing a printout of this post to the local State Senator and to the Governor of the State. It won't do any good... but maybe I will feel a little bit better. Or not.
Until next post...
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