A look back at the week:  It's been a very busy week.  Besides caring for mom, all of us have been busy with our research as well.  First, I'd like to thank Anthony and Rachel for making mom broccoli cheese soup - she ate every bit of it and loved it.  And, Louis and Rachel for making 3 or 4 chicken spaghetti casseroles for David and Danny.  They also provided some delicious room snacks, cookies, muffins and chips.  We gave a muffin to Pat (the speech therapist) and she had it for a break.  Robert has made several dinners for David and Danny and us - he is a great cook and makes large quantities of food!  Everyone has pitched in with the visitation schedule and it's worked great.  It has been a great comfort to me to know when someone will be there so that I don't have to try to work a visit in my very hectic schedule if I don't need to.  David and Mike have spent quite a bit of time with her this week.

Mike, David and I spent all Monday afternoon figuring out mom's income and outgoing bills.  We are trying to understand her policies for insurance and also medicare vs medicade, etc.  We are now going into week 3 at Stonebridge and we expect them at any time now to say that mom has progressed as far as she can go and we will need to take her out of there.  The big question - is WHERE!  David called a lawyer who deals with Medicade and had a very good free consultation.  We now know what plan C might look like.  David and Mike have also researched assisted living facilities and group homes - and found out some interesting facts.  Mom's insurance will only cover a licensed facility.  Most group homes of 4 or less beds do not need to be licensed.  That knocked out quite a few on the list.  Mike, David and I visited a facility off Kinney Ave. called Barton Hills Assisted Living.  We kind of liked it, but they only have one room available and it doesn't have a bathroom or running water in it.  Mom and guests would have to travel a long hall to get to one. They also had strict visiting hours - between 7 and 9 only.  It was very depressing to think of putting mom in this type of home:  it seems that most of the residents are in declining mental states and would not be good companions for mom.  I'm afraid that her days will be spent bedridden with only a TV for entertainment.  It's a sad situation: She still has her quick, sharp mental faculties, but is unable to stand, walk, or sit unattended and is also in briefs and has a hard time feeding herself.  She requires 24 hour assistance, but mentally she is still all there.

Today, Mike, David and I have a meeting at Stonebridge to see how mom has progressed and to pick their brains about ideas.  We are meeting with Christina, the social worker.  We also need to go look at some more facilities.  If anyone has time or interest, help in this research would be great.

For now, we are going to go with PRIVATE PAY.  Her nursing home insurance will pick up about $2,000 of it, Interim Health which is covered by medicare, will provide some stuff:  a hospital bed, wheelchair, walker, a nurse maybe once a week, etc.  We will pay for the rest out of her monthly income. We want a licensed facility, small to midsize - a nurse on staff 24 hours/day and in South Austin.  It looks like most of the places will charge between 4 - 5,000/month.

Mom is still hanging in there.  She is mentally quick, but is very weak.  We have cut back her physical therapy from two 45 minute sessions a day to 2 - 15 min. sessions.  We've asked that they leave her alone 1 hour prior and 1 hour after a meal is served to conserve her energy.  This seems to be working better - in that she is more alert, not so exhausted and will eat at her mealtimes.  We all discussed the next move with her and she has left it in our hands to make the best decision we can make.


So, for now we'll see what happens.