My dad was diagnosed with this horrible disease a few years ago - in July 2005 I spent a week vacation in Colorado with my dad - within 2 years he was crippled, can barely talk, can't walk or hadly move, all this from a nursing home and medicare taking him off his medication because they refused to pay for what he needed. Groups and people talk about helping people with alzhimers with this drug and that, support groups etc... I am wathing my dad waste away to nothing all because nursing homes do not want to have to deal with medicare patients and medicare does not want to pay for the expensive medication that is a must to help the person. My dad has gone from a very loving father to a skeleton that knows no one! I have cried so much I have no more tears! So what is anyone doing to force medicare to pay for the medication a person needs to help fight this disease? In 3 years my dad aged 50!!!! He was only allowed by medicare to take the needed medication for 1 lousy year!!! And because he is a medicare patient at the nursing home he gets lousy treatment!
My dad has alzheimer's horselover2@live.com
Posts: 1 | Location?: MO. | Registered: June 17, 2008
There's a current discussion on the caregiver's forum called "Need Help on Getting Assistance since D has capped out" in which folks share some strategies for paying for meds.
Is your dad on Medicare or Medicaid?
YOU need to get help to know how to get help for your dad. Is there a social worker at the nursing home who can help you connect with services? Call your local Azheimer's organization to find someone who can help you.
It may be the nursing home but it's important to know that sometimes the disesase progresses very rapidly--EVEN WITH THE BEST OF CARE AND MEDICATIONS But that said, you want to know your famiy did what you could.
Posts: 251 | Location?: brighton, mass | Registered: August 10, 2007
IS YOUR DAD A VETERAN? MY DAD ONLY HAS MEDICARE PART A. I GET HIS MEDICINE THRU THE VA. DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND MEDICATION DON'T COST HIM A THING. IF HE IS A VETERAN, THE PAPERWORK IS QUITE EASY TO COMPLETE. YOU CAN FILE ON LINE.
I WOULD COMPLAIN TO STATE ABOUT YOUR DAD'S CARE IN THE NURSING HOME. THERE ISN'T SUPPOSE TO BE ANY DIFFERENCE IN TREATMENT BETWEEN MEDICARE PATIENTS AND PRIVATE PAY.
Put down the drugs you are talking about and the nature of the treatment he is currently receiving. Hard to help when we don't know what stage he is at, the medications given for the diagnosis and the medications he has been deprived of. Your father probably qualifies for medicaid. What steps have you taken?
