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Squeebee007 t1_ixhpjok wrote

As an expat in the US, the big problem is that many don't have the money. Many were living on their Social Security checks before they needed full-time care, and then have to go to a facility that accepts Medicare/Medicaid, and those facilities operate on tight budgets.

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agorarocks-your-face t1_ixi3s9m wrote

The whole damn system is set up to squeeze middle class people into Medicare/Medicaid. If you are one of the lucky few, you can afford long term care that is comfortable. The luckiest of everyone suffer acute illnesses and don’t have the time for the system to take their money.

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SnowinMiami t1_ixkyjzv wrote

Even if you have long term care it has limits.

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agorarocks-your-face t1_ixlos0u wrote

True. But there’s a big difference between Medicare/Medicaid services and private pay. I’d much rather have private pay service problems.

Long term care is literally designed to take your money away to pay the facility and place you on Medicare/ Medicaid.

Source: I work in long term care for more years then I care to admit on both floor staff and administration ends.

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SnowinMiami t1_ixpor0a wrote

I totally agree. I’m moving my mom into assisted living today. She has no long term care and has Alzheimer’s. She refused to go earlier but we can’t afford to pay for 24/7 caregivers and she refused to move into our homes (my sisters or myself) when she could and now it’s impossible because she can’t be left alone.

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agorarocks-your-face t1_ixpyssw wrote

I’m so sorry. Alzheimer’s is an awful disease. I hope you know that mom may not remember your name. However as long as you are a decently regular occurrence in her life she will know you and light up when she sees you. The only time I’ve ever seen people not recognize loved ones is if they visit one time a year for maybe 30 minutes. I suspect it’s because we age over time and change looks. But mom/dad have an image in their head of this person from 20 years ago. So sometimes it doesn’t line up.

It can be heart breaking to realize parents don’t know your name. It’s like when we accidentally call a kid by the dogs name. Or switch names up in the heat of a moment. Alzheimer’s/ dementia is similar. But she will know exactly who you are. As caregivers, we see it all the time.

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coppertech t1_ixj0ctl wrote

>those facilities operate on tight budgets.

they do that by choice since 99.99% of them are "for profit".

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Drone314 t1_ixi83f5 wrote

>those facilities

need to turn a profit......

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Squeebee007 t1_ixi8on0 wrote

This is where being a Canadian expat gets interesting: should elder care turn a profit, or should it pay its bills and it’s staff?

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