Elderly Awareness

 Over the past three weeks, our family has been forced to face one of the most difficult experiences in our lives. On August 8th, 2015, we were told our maternal grandmother, had metastatic brain cancer. The doctors told us that due to her elderly age and how the cancer had spread to all major organs of her body, there wasn’t much to do for her, other than make her last few days, weeks or months as comfortable as possible.

 
I’ve had such a rude awakening to see in the manner that our loved one’s, especially, the elderly, do not receive the proper care at the end of their days. It’s unfortunate enough that we, the closest family members, cannot devote the required time to stay by our loved one’s and care for them at their time of need, because we all have to work, go to school, and continue the fast pace routine of our personal lives.

 
My grandparents have been in this country for over 50 years and have more than earned their right to be properly cared for by their Medicare and Medicare HMO coverage. But, this hasn’t been the case. Our family has had to fight day in and day out to secure the proper home hospice care and continuous nursing. The entire situation has continuously come down to the financial aspect of the situation. What insurance pays for and what it doesn’t. How long Medicare approves 24 hour nursing. Once they consider a hospice patient to be “stable”, they pull the nursing care and leave these individuals to fend for themselves. How can a patient in hospice care be referred to as “stable”, when they are dying !!! In my opinion, if an individual has paid taxes in this country for most of their adult life, they should receive ALL benefits that are required at their most difficult times. Yet, that’s not the case.


During this very emotional journey in my life and the lives of my immediate family, I’ve decided, not only to make a career change, but to start pursuing my passion for this cause immediately. I have decided to start my own non profit organization that can give back to the community and community programs that support the elderly, when they are at their weakest, and hopefully as I pursue a career in law, I will be able to make even more positive impacts and changes. “We just don’t have the funding available”, should never be the words a family in crisis should hear.


I am asking all my facebook friends and family to share my story and help me reach my goal. Let’s all keep in mind that WE are ALL going to reach this age and be in need of much deserved assistance.