So far our plan is working. My sisters and I visit regularly, update Mom and Dad's medical calendar and medications list, stock the fridge. My brothers take care of any minor repairs in their home; drive to out of town doctor's appointments. During my latest visit, I took Mom to Jacksonville to have her pacemaker battery replaced - a one day event. She recovered nicely from this minor surgery. A fall in the backyard the week before had injured her knee. My father was able to get her up and in the car for a ride to a nearby drop-in medical facility. Xrays indicated no fracture - which in itself is pretty amazing. Falls and fractures are common for those of us over 80. The only recommendation given was moist heat applied to the knee. No physical therapy ordered. Two weeks post event, Mom is still unable to walk without pain in her knee. Time for a recheck with her primary physician. We pick up the xrays already taken to avoid any further radiation. Chris, the Physicians Assistant, examines Mom's knee; Dr. R. takes a look at the xrays and examines Mom's knee. They agree: physical therapy needed. Mom was quick to request in-home treatments remembering the difficulty of transportation into town 3x a week for therapy for a previous injury. (This is something I highly recommend as an option. Medicare will pay for in-home treatments when prescribed by a physician.) The next day a nurse came to their home, evaluated Mom's situation (and took a look at her pacemaker incision sight to assure Mom it was healing properly) and scheduled a Physical Therapist to come the next day for further evaluation. The PT arrived on schedule, examined Mom's knee and took a tour of their home to recommend any changes to be made to accomodate Mom's walker which she now must use at all times until it's determined she is stable to go back to her 4-pronged walking stick. Because their bathroom only has a shower stall, I'm told to purchase a shower stool (we had already installed a handle bar.) The PT also recommends a toilet chair (which Dr. R. will prescribe and Medicare will pay for) that will fit over their existing toilet to not only sit higher but also provide "arms" for Mom to use for support. As for treatment of her knee, ICE (not moist heat) applied 20 minutes every hour. Since Mom takes Coumudin she can't take an anti-inflammatory. She will continue the Acetominophen she takes for arthritis. I was able to find a version that she takes every 8 hours (instead of every 4) which eliminates one more thing to remember! A PT will come three times a week for her therapy; Mom will do her exercises in between those visits. If all goes well, she'll be back on her feet pain free within 3 or 4 weeks.
A minute about Medicare. I'm not a scholar on the topic but it doesn't take a genius to recognize the amount of Federal dollars it takes to sustain this program. While my parents have money in the bank to pay for the services mentioned above, manageing their resources wisely not only ensures their continued ability to remain independent, it also enables them to feel secure financially and not dependent on their children (or others.) This is truly a conundrum. Are they not dependent on the govenment to provide? While they have resources set aside, they are finite. My Mom is continually watching the bottom line and juggling to feel they "have enough". Social Security supplements. They (and their children) are fortunate to have been able to "put aside" money through the years for this formula to even exist. But, without monies and services they receive from Uncle Sam (taxpayers), those savings would have been exhausted long ago. Only time will tell how all this plays out in the future. For now, Medicare supplements enable my parents to afford medical interventions that sustain them. How long Uncle Sam can afford to sustain Medicare is the larger question.
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