MN. Senior Legal Issues And Sad State Of Our Health Care

[glinda]

Friday the 13th, oddly, my 86 yr. old mother suffered a major stroke. Since then, it has been an eye opener on just how broken, disjointed and suspect the Health Care System is here in our lovely State. The list includes and is not limited to:

Never being able to see or speak to a Doctor or get an accurate description of her actual "condition"

Her getting a bladder infection in "said" Hospital

Witnessing my father being surprised when she was put into a private room at the Rehab/Nursing Facility
(has to pay daily room costs instead of Medicare coverage) $450 for10 days so far.

Witnessing my father having Admission Forms shoved in his face that he does not understand and finding that he had signed them because they threatened to "find her another place". They had him agree to the Facility "not being liable" should something happen to her. (not legal I think although they claim it is)

Having many phone calls not returned from both Facilities. In fact....they all have answering machines.

Communication sucks.

Having to ask for a "Blessing of the Sick" now since the Stroke date and still to this day, my super Catholic mom has not received one.

Finding out that Social Workers seem to be working for the interest of their Facility, Insurance Company or other for the most part. Seems like the patient is just a "side" of the conversations.

Watching my mother's eye get infected since they did not seem to pay attention to the fact that she had had glaucoma surgery the week before and needed her eye drops every two hours or so.

Finding out that the Rehab-Facility doesn't seem to know her past health record very well if at all.

Finding out that I learn more outside these facilities from non-profits than inside "the system". Like that fact that because my dad is a Vet and may be eligible for help.

Finding out that "being an active and major contributor to many projects, the livelihood and deep rich history of NE Minneapolis" doesn't mean you will ever be able to afford to be in (or die in) assisted living in your neighborhood. Nope! Because you are poorer, you may be moved out (exiled) to die in some strange suburb that you know no one and no one knows you.

There is much much more that I am learning each day through this process. The biggest thing is that our Health Care System is so messed up and the thing that seems to be the focus is the money & payments rather than the person.

MN. is supposed to be better than some other States but what I am personally witnessing is a rapidly moving catastrophe regarding the care, or lack thereof, of the elderly.