I live 150 miles away and commuting to Dad's is not safe .Dad's local (two shifts) of caregivers cannot drive in serious conditions, either. Whole-house generators are too expensive; portables are outside the duties of caregivers. Cannot ask neighbors because they too are elderly. Dad cannot get his own meals and will freeze. Local senior services say "call the Police, as it is life threatening situation." Dad refuses to move to AL. I have DPOA and Medical POA. After Michigan's last winter (worst I've ever experienced), they say this coming winter will be as bad. My husband refuses to let me drive in those conditions (and I'm glad). I've alerted Police Dad is alone without caretakers. Have any of you dealt with this?
ive seen enough out of nh in the last couple of months to convince me . no one will refuse me a day time nap so ill sleep all night , i wont piss in a diaper because theyre too busy to help me to the restroom , wont be dragged off to a lunchroom when im not hungry , wont be crammed in a shower on someone elses schedule , wont live life in a wheelchair for the convenience of staff / corporation / profit .. aps will not come up my hill . they do not have the elders best interests in mind -- they have covering their own asses in mind ..
One fall my aunt walked to the nearby care center and said she thought she'd spend the winter there and then reconsider in the spring. Amazing woman! But it doesn't sound like that is this Dad's choice. I'd try to support Dad's choice as far as practical.
When you say that he cannot get his own meals, does that mean he couldn't spread peanut butter on crackers, or open a can of peaches? Someone can get by for a few days without regular "meals." What was the longest period of time last winter when his caregivers could not make it in? Did you call the police then? Did they check on him (perhaps using snowmobiles?)
We got one at our house for about 3K. We used some of the life insurance money we had and some we had saved. I could cope with no heat a few days, but hubby could not, and when I had to go to work it was awful. He was OK camping out in a basement library space once, or a night in an empty room my office, but our new office manager nixed that arrangement. Hotel rooms pretty much disappear early on around here, particularly the affordable ones. Once we found a place it was OK but cost a bundle. The generator will pay for itself in dollars in a few years, and in sanity it already has.
A Poem, called "Winter Driving In Arkansas":
On snow,
Go slow.
On ice,
Don't go.
-vstefans
There is an even shorter poem about SUMMER weather in Arkansas, which I did not write myself.
Earlier in the summer she was without power four 4 days due to a storm. Thankfully it wasn't hot that week so no fan or A/C needed. I had no power either. The caregiver brought over a coolor and bought ice. We kept water, juice and condiments in it. She took her frozen entrees home and put them in her freezer. She did her laundry. We went out to eat or ate fast food takeout. The worst for her was she had no TV during this time. The caregiver brought her magazines.
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