Case Study of how Care Giver Advice Line Professionals solved the evolving problems of a complicated family care issue in realtime.

John is a 59 year old executive with a wife on total disability and shared responsibility for his 88 year mother-in-law. Margaret, living with is wife’s sister in another state. Recently the family has been having tension and arguments over Margaret as the sister feels she can no longer keep Margaret at home. No other family member is capable of maintaining Margaret and she is growing angry as dementia, a bleeding colon, poor eyesight and a heart condition make her difficult to deal with. Margaret has Social Security of $782 per month and $188 goes for MediGap insurance. She has no other assets.

The family was not in a position to pay for a nursing home. John contacted a Careco advisor, who reviewed the circumstances and first suggested that a durable power of attorney, designated health care surrogate and a living will be executed. John then went to see Margaret and got her to execute the documents.

Careco suggested Medicaid, but she was $14 over the qualifying limit. Careco reviewed her medical condition and realized that she could not be treated for her bleeding colon (cancer) due to her frail condition. Careco suggested Hospice. John called hospice who    evaluated her and found her eligible. Hospice now pays for her medication and sends a nurse to the sister-in-laws home once per week and a home health aide twice a week.

The following week Margaret fell, broke her shoulder and arm and hit her head precipitating an ER visit and an extreme exacerbation of her dementia. John called Careco who immediately informed him that he should call hospice for a new evaluation. John is now working with hospice to find a bed at a nursing home as there are no hospice facilities equipped in her area to take her in. Hospice is coming 7 days per week in the meantime.

Without the documentation, Margaret would have become a victim of the system, but since John was able to get all of that worked out in advance, he is in a position to speak on her behalf, meet with all healthcare providers without violating HIPPA regulations and have a complete say in the kind and type of treatment she should receive. He was in a position to enroll her in hospice only because he had a durable power of attorney.

John speaks with is Careco advisor weekly and having a knowledgeable “quarterback” he has been able to expedite the process and know what the options are available. John was quoted as saying, “If Careco hadn’t made aware of the paperwork to control her care, we all would be in big trouble.