Help Catherine HemenwayMedical Care

Cousin Catherine is currently in a state of advanced mental decay and stuck in Mexico. We're trying to bring her back into the USA and get her into medical care.

Catherine has no partner, sister, brother or child to help her. She only has us. And we can’t leave her to die lost and alone on the streets of Oaxaca

Vicki's email with the full details:

Dear Cousins,

Catherine’s circumstance has changed radically since we last reached out to you, and she is in dire need of our help. We refunded the money that you generously donated because the Mexican attorney with whom Danny Schneider had consulted told him we had no legal recourse such as power of attorney without Catherine’s consent. At that time she refused our help, and we threw up our hands not realizing quite how serious her dementia was.

Catherine continued to be in the grip of the extortionists who each month withdrew her Social Security as soon as it was deposited. After a failed attempt to set Catherine up in her own apartment, her former cleaning lady, Juana, once more took Catherine in to live with her in her very impoverished home. She fed and cared for her for many months, sometimes losing a day’s wages when Catherine’s needs required it. Finally Juana became financially and emotionally overwhelmed, and she turned to Jessica once more.

This is where I stepped in and solicited Joe Posner and Dan Schneider’s assistance. I contacted the American Consulate in Oaxaca, Mexico. The consul informed me that there were only two alternatives. The first option, she could put Catherine in a shelter. But they would keep her just a few days after which she would be let out into the street to fend for herself. The second one, we could temporarily put Catherine in a Mexican nursing home at which time the consul would contact the Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration to safeguard Catherine’s Social Security benefits, get her on Medicare and Medicaid, and repatriate her to a memory care facility in the States.

Joe and Dan put up the money for the first month’s payment to the nursing home and for a physical and psychiatric evaluation. And with a lot of time, effort and coordination between the consulate, Juana and me we finally had Catherine admitted. Her Social Security is supposed to be used as payment to the nursing home going forward. However, once it is time to bring Catherine to the States we need to raise money for airfare and to pay someone to escort her. We also feel it is only proper that we raise some money for Juana who has selflessly devoted herself and shared her very meager income with Catherine.

Joe has set up a GoFundMe page, and you will find the link below. I hope you will contribute what you can. Catherine has no partner, sister, brother or child to help her. She only has us. And we can’t leave her to die lost and alone on the streets of Oaxaca. To Mexicans there is nothing more important than family, and the elderly are cherished. Let’s show that the Posners share those values.