My mother suffered a massive stroke 12 years ago and suffered devastating physical consequences. I lived overseas but travelled home frequently 2-3 times a year for extended stays to help my father look after her. She finally passed away in January 2012 peacefully in her sleep. In 2010 I moved back to the US because my parents' situation was not getting any better. My employer at that time (a global company) agreed to a temporary transfer to allow me to work from our corporate offices and this allowed me to look after my parents. My father fell 2 months after I returned and broke his hip. He since has been able to walk again, has some minor health issues but does suffer from dementia. I do not live with him and arranged for around-the-clock care. I buy the groceries, pay the bills, arrange the staff, take him to doctor's appointments, etc but I don't live in the house because he is constantly called for me day and night and I can get no sleep and I must work. My father was a brilliant lawyer who apparently took care of everyone's business but his own. He had no burial arrangements for himself or my mother (which I've now taken care of), no insurance policy, no long-term healthcare plan. Nothing. My employer has now sent me a letter saying that my temporary contract is ending and I must report back to my place of employment by June 1st or lose my job (I'm in the meantime looking for employment here...good luck to me). What should I do? Stay? Go? Should I/can I force my father in to an assisted living facility even if he absolutely refused to go? Or should I leave him at home and spend every cent of money that he's set aside (which is quickly going) and risk having nothing if he does need to go into assisted living later? He's 89 but his family members have ALL lived extremely long lives (96+ years). I have an alcholic brother who is absolutely not help or support. Any suggestion anyone else who has been in a similar situation would be greatly appreciated.
xoxoxo!
Now - if he does go into a home, you'll need to apply for Medicaid and that is an exhausting process, but has to be done and you'll be glad when it's over. There's a good thread on here about everything you need to think about including the 5-year look back. Search out. Good luck and stay on this site. It could save you. It saved me.
- SS