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Hi Scott, I am Janet at 81 years young and my husband Will is 79 years young and has had vascular Dementia since 2014, after he had a heart valve replaced. He had 2 mini-strokes which started the Dementia.
He does amaze me with the things he can still do, like driving a car (a little too fast), playing Solitaire on his tablet, playing card games, puzzles, etc. and sometimes remembers things I forget. The other night he told me that he was quiet when we were visiting with another couple because he couldn’t remember things to talk about. But he keeps trying and I give him credit for trying.
We are beginning to have financial problems and I’m afraid we will run out of money. Who would you recommend to us who can help us with this situation? A social worker, or a lawyer (we can’t afford one), a geriatric social worker? We will eventually need to have Medicaid and we will need help applying for it. I’m trying to be level-headed about what should be done but my insides are shaking.
I would appreciate whatever advice you would give us.
Thank you Scott!
Replies to "Hi Scott, I am Janet at 81 years young and my husband Will is 79 years..."
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Good morning, @janet7 I am sorry to read of your inner turmoil. It was one of the worst aspects of caregiving for me! If it wasn't one thing it was another.
I admire your husband for keeping at it! That was a tough one for my wife and in many cases human interactions were just too stressful for her to even try. Cheers to your husband's stamina!
I'm not a medical professional, nor am I a lawyer, but I can tell you what my wife and I did. I know it changes a lot by location, state, etc., but often your Area Agency on Aging (a national program)
https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/About/Aging_Network/AAA.aspx#:~:text=An%20Area%20Agency%20on%20Aging,of%20local%20AAAs%20may%20vary
can offer help with access to area programs for help. I know every state differs on Medicaid and more when it comes to support and medical assistance.
As far as our help, I spoke to a couple of our long-time neighbors who then offered me a referral to a trusted lawyer. The first one I couldn't afford, but he referred me to another local attorney he knew and she was a huge and affordable help to us.
I also called our local hospice organization and while my wife was not in hospice at that time, they also offered several local options for possible help for us. Again, I know these organizations can vary greatly, but I found an excellent one that was in our town at the time.
Let me know if you have any additional questions and stay in touch!
Strength, Courage, & Peace