A story on Medicaid

[Johnny2X2X]

15. Medicaid pays for my mother's nursing home

She's been in poor health for years and in and out of the hospital. She's going to be 83 later this year.

She had a serious fall and broke her arm and now needs round the clock care. We got really lucky and got her into a fantastic facility, they take her social security check each month less $60 and Medicaid picks up the rest. I cannot tell you how big a difference it has made in her health. She was home before with my father and they didn't know it, but they just couldn't manage her care. So her meds would get out of wack, she would not get clean after using the bathroom so she would get serious infections several times a year. The infections would affect her mental fitness. She was barely eating and staying in bed all day every day.

Now she is so different, she's back to the person I've known my whole life. She is clean, she is up and about daily, she eats 3 meals. She hasn't had an infection and she's back to having a sharp mind. It's night and day. Her many meds are managed by professionals now so she isn't missing doses or taking too much, that alone was a huge burden for them.

Of course, she thinks she still wants to be home with my dad, but this has been a miracle for us, I was thinking she had months to live, and now I could see her being happy and healthy for years should she maintain this level of care.

Without Medicaid, she'd be dead within a few months, of that I am certain. The family actually sees her more often now as we visit all the time. And she still can leave the facilities for birthday or graduation parties. My dad takes her to lunch weekly, and takes her to get her hair done. She'll be at our campfire party in a few weeks. All because we have a basic system that provides the care she needs.