Jim Mason Memory Care Cost Help
Donation protected
In July of 2019, Jim/dad starting displaying symptoms of memory loss, paranoia, and confusion. This, in combination with the already present decline of his physical abilities, started to signal to us that something was not right. This wasn't just normal aging, things were happening fast. We always knew that dad wasn't as young as he used to be but these symptoms were not something we envisioned experiencing until long from now.
After many trips to the emergency room and time in and out of the hospital, he was diagnosed with severe dementia. Before being admitted to the hospital the last time, he was given the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) which scores you on a scale from 1-29 with 1 being the worst. He scored a 10. He wasn't really able to keep a conversation going and there were even times when he didn't know where he was. He was recalling memories from 10+ years ago as if they were happening now. We attempted to care for him at his home but he couldn't understand nor follow simple directions. His ailments went beyond familial care. We were left with a search for placement in a memory care facility, something no one wished to see.
After mounds of paperwork and searching, we were thankful to be notified of an open bed at Brookstone Manor Speciality Care where dad is now a resident. He is being looked after by nurses trained to work with elderly citizens diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia. It's been a week and he's still settling in. If anybody has ever moved a family member into a memory care facility, you'll know that they are usually even more confused and frustrated than you are. This is the case with our dad. He is anxious, restless, and scared. We have hope that once his medications are all balanced and he becomes more familiar with his surroundings, he will be more settled and happy.
So there's our story and now we are faced with the financial reality of it all. No one was prepared for this summer's events. Our dad had a mortgage to pay, a car payment on a relatively new vehicle, along with many other expenses. We are now faced with extreme bills and the only one that is able to organize all this is our mother, (dad's ex-wife.) If anyone knows our family well enough, you will know that our parents had an amicable divorce when we were young and have remained friends ever since. This leaves us with a woman who is able to intelligently take charge of this situation and organize all the legal matters; however, she is unable to cover his expenses along with her own.
With the amount of care that dad needs in this facility, he's looking at a bill of $5775 per month. As with most people that end up having to face this financial burden, you are able to file for state assistance to help with the cost. However, this doesn't go into effect until an assessment is done by the county and all the paperwork is in. They have 20 days to complete this process and eligibility begins on the date of assessment. He went into the facility on the 14th of August so we will be responsible for the cost of his care from that date to the date the assessment is completed which, like I said, could be up to 20 days from now. We as a family will be able to cover some of the bill but not all of it and that is where we need some help.
If you know my dad, you'll know that he dedicated his life to helping others. I asked him a couple months ago, "What was your favorite part of practicing law?" Sidenote: If you know my dad really well, you'll also be familiar with the fact that he has always been, first and foremost, a musician. He was a "damn good lawyer" but enjoyed playing piano and French horn much more. He replied to my question with "Kids. I loved helping kids. If there was a case that involved children who needed help, I took it." I always knew that he worked with a lot of custody cases but I never knew he specifically requested them.
So if you've ever been helped out of a tight spot by my dad, or you sang while he played piano, or you enjoyed his humor at Showboat, or maybe you just enjoyed listening to his outrageous stories, he now needs your help. Donations will help us cover what will probably be the entire first month of his care.
We truly appreciate whatever help you can give. We will give updates on social media as to how he's doing but for now, we're just taking it day by day.
Thank you!
-Sarah, Cindy, Abi, Ted, & Family
After many trips to the emergency room and time in and out of the hospital, he was diagnosed with severe dementia. Before being admitted to the hospital the last time, he was given the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) which scores you on a scale from 1-29 with 1 being the worst. He scored a 10. He wasn't really able to keep a conversation going and there were even times when he didn't know where he was. He was recalling memories from 10+ years ago as if they were happening now. We attempted to care for him at his home but he couldn't understand nor follow simple directions. His ailments went beyond familial care. We were left with a search for placement in a memory care facility, something no one wished to see.
After mounds of paperwork and searching, we were thankful to be notified of an open bed at Brookstone Manor Speciality Care where dad is now a resident. He is being looked after by nurses trained to work with elderly citizens diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia. It's been a week and he's still settling in. If anybody has ever moved a family member into a memory care facility, you'll know that they are usually even more confused and frustrated than you are. This is the case with our dad. He is anxious, restless, and scared. We have hope that once his medications are all balanced and he becomes more familiar with his surroundings, he will be more settled and happy.
So there's our story and now we are faced with the financial reality of it all. No one was prepared for this summer's events. Our dad had a mortgage to pay, a car payment on a relatively new vehicle, along with many other expenses. We are now faced with extreme bills and the only one that is able to organize all this is our mother, (dad's ex-wife.) If anyone knows our family well enough, you will know that our parents had an amicable divorce when we were young and have remained friends ever since. This leaves us with a woman who is able to intelligently take charge of this situation and organize all the legal matters; however, she is unable to cover his expenses along with her own.
With the amount of care that dad needs in this facility, he's looking at a bill of $5775 per month. As with most people that end up having to face this financial burden, you are able to file for state assistance to help with the cost. However, this doesn't go into effect until an assessment is done by the county and all the paperwork is in. They have 20 days to complete this process and eligibility begins on the date of assessment. He went into the facility on the 14th of August so we will be responsible for the cost of his care from that date to the date the assessment is completed which, like I said, could be up to 20 days from now. We as a family will be able to cover some of the bill but not all of it and that is where we need some help.
If you know my dad, you'll know that he dedicated his life to helping others. I asked him a couple months ago, "What was your favorite part of practicing law?" Sidenote: If you know my dad really well, you'll also be familiar with the fact that he has always been, first and foremost, a musician. He was a "damn good lawyer" but enjoyed playing piano and French horn much more. He replied to my question with "Kids. I loved helping kids. If there was a case that involved children who needed help, I took it." I always knew that he worked with a lot of custody cases but I never knew he specifically requested them.
So if you've ever been helped out of a tight spot by my dad, or you sang while he played piano, or you enjoyed his humor at Showboat, or maybe you just enjoyed listening to his outrageous stories, he now needs your help. Donations will help us cover what will probably be the entire first month of his care.
We truly appreciate whatever help you can give. We will give updates on social media as to how he's doing but for now, we're just taking it day by day.
Thank you!
-Sarah, Cindy, Abi, Ted, & Family
Organizer
Sarah Mason
Organizer
Grand Rapids, MN