Seniors, can we talk?
She was diagnosed with breast cancer. After she and her daughters got over the shock, they were thrilled to find out it was in an early stage. The recommended procedure was a lumpectomy followed by a few preventive radiation treatments. The prognosis for Jo’s mother was excellent. The day of surgery everyone was upbeat. Even though this was routine, Ruth went to the hospital to be supportive of her friend, Jo. When the doctor came out with the report, he confirmed the surgery had gone well and he had gotten all the cancer. Everyone was relieved. When Jo’s mother woke up, Jo was thrilled to give her the good news about her surgery. Only one problem – Jo’s mother was totally unaware of where she was, unaware of why she had the surgery and unaware of who Jo was! A little later she did remember – and then she was confused and could not keep track of things. She was also having problems talking and communicating. The nurses immediately called the doctor. The doctors performed a series of tests, examinations and observation of her activities. Then the diagnosis - early stage dementia. How did this happen so quickly? No symptoms or issues prior to surgery had successful surgery and now this! Jo and her sister were uncomfortable leaving their mother alone. It seemed like her memory loss was progressing very quickly. Jo and her sister decided to take turns staying with her – one during the day and the other at night. (Both Jo and her sister were working and thankfully their employers were understanding and sympathetic.) But how long could they continue this? After several weeks the picture turned bleak. The physical strain of taking care of their mother, the emotional drain of watching this disease in addition to missing work and not having a paycheck forced them to admit that they needed help. A nursing home was the only sensible option for everyone but it was a very emotional decision. The first nursing home they called had a reputation of providing good care but cost much more than they could handle. The other nursing homes they called did not have availabilities in the memory unit. Was this move going to be even more difficult than they thought? Finally they found a place they felt comfortable with. They were comfortable with the facility’s appearance, the care and the cost. They were going to be able to pay for care with their mother’s social security and savings account - at least until they made other arrangements. Another difficult task – not just selling their mother’s home but what to do with all her “stuff”. Does this story sound familiar? It does to me. Would a long term care policy have changed this situation? No, but it could have helped – it could have “soften the blow”. It could have helped Jo and her sister. How can you “soften the blow” – call me at 501-868-6650 and say “Caroline, can we talk?
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AuthorCaroline Beauchamp specializes in personalized life and health insurance solutions. Archives
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