Update: 3/3/2026

Nursing Home Placement & Next Steps

On 2/5/26, Sandy was placed in a nursing home in New Iberia. Following her strokes, she has been diagnosed with vascular dementia, and the progression has been pretty rapid. Her memory changes from day to day — sometimes even hour to hour. She can eat lunch and not remember what she had just a few hours later.

Physically, I'm not sure how her balance/mobility are at this point because she just rolls herself around in a wheelchair; it's safer than her trying to walk unassisted.

Her long-term care Medicaid application is still pending, so we are currently in limbo.

My end goal is to bring her home under a waiver program that would help cover in-home care. I'm hoping to get this done sooner rather than later. She still requires 24-hour supervision, but I believe she would be more comfortable and better supported at home. She is no longer receiving PT, OT, or speech therapy, and I’ve noticed regression. She misses her pets like crazy and I think her being home with them would also be extremely beneficial for her mental health.

To safely bring her home, I need to prepare the house with:

A wheelchair ramp

Bed rails and safety rails around the house to help her with mobility

A small transport wheelchair and walker

Hygiene and incontinence supplies

Additional accessibility modifications as needed

I'm asking for help to make these safety updates so I can bring her home when the waiver is approved. Every dollar really does count.

Thank you to those that have donated and to those that will.

Me and Sandy BOTH appreciate the love you have shown.

Sandy has always been a pillar of strength, caring for others and putting their needs before her own. For over a decade, she lovingly cared for her ailing mother, and just months ago, she lost both her mother and her sister, both of whom were on hospice. In mid-October, Sandy suffered a major stroke, which led to multiple hospitalizations. Doctors discovered she has had a total of seven strokes and has been diagnosed with vascular dementia as a result of the strokes, causing a rapid decline in her memory and ability to process information, on top of the blindness (50% in both eyes) and partial loss of physical mobility. She has spent five weeks in the hospital, receiving occupational and physical therapy, and now requires 24/7 observation due to her high fall risk, confusion, and loss of strength.

Tragically, Sandy’s private insurance is ending, and Medicaid services have not yet been approved or denied. The hospital has advised that she needs long-term nursing home care, and, sadly, every facility in the area has rejected her because her current insurance will not cover the costs, and long-term care Medicaid applications must be submitted by a medical facility, which has not been done. Tabitha, her daughter, is unable to provide the level of care Sandy needs at home due to her own physical limitations and the lack of necessary safety equipment. The hospital has stated they will discharge Sandy today, despite knowing she does not have the equipment or support she needs for safe care at home.

Tabitha is devastated and scared, having advocated tirelessly for her mother with no options left. The hospital has even threatened to call Adult Protective Services if Sandy is not picked up. The cost to self-pay for a nursing home is overwhelming, and Sandy may need long-term care, putting the family in significant debt. Tabitha may have to quit her job to care for her mother if there is no placement found or insurance is not approved, leaving the family with no income. Funds raised will help cover the cost of a temporary nursing home stay, essential safety equipment like ramps, shower chairs, bed and chair alarms, hygiene items, and medication co-pays. Any support will help Sandy receive the care and dignity she deserves during this critical time. Tabitha is deeply grateful for any help and asks that you share this fundraiser widely to give her mother a chance at recovery.