The Great American Medical System

There are numerous in-home healthcare agencies in the greater Boston area. (One, for example, is: http://www.bostonnorthwest.rightathome.net/ )

Does your insurance cover the cost of any of these sorts of agencies? (Most do since it is cheaper than a nursing home)

The Great American Medical System
I'm not referring to home health care, such as aides, or even either LPNs or RNs. And I'm not talking about sudden medical emergencies, but the smaller problems which aren't life-threatening, but are definitely quality-of-life threatening.

I'm just venting my feelings about the gap that forces weak, sick, frail older people to sit for hours in a doctor's office or for hours in an ER. At least lying in one's own bed is a far preferable way to wait for a doctor's attention than sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair waiting for the same thing.

Tomkitten--

The life of a Care Giver is not a happy one. You must grow very weary of trusting your own judgement, "normal" day after "normal" day. Then when the microbes strike, you're still on your lonesome.

I can't imagine you being shy, but I can imagine you being unwilling to Be A Bother. Have you talked to the Nurse Practioner or the RN next door? After all, you are also a resident (just as your husband is) and entitled to attention.

Old cats can learn new tricks. Your trick for April is to practice squeaking--not loudly, not often, but just enough to get some moral support.

The Great American Medical System
Hi, Noddy! I'm not complaining about lack of help with the care-giving situation. I'm just angry that medical science has progressed so far that doctors can't make housecalls because they need too much equipment to make a diagnosis, or check on a patient's condition, for a home setting to be feasible.

Actually, I'm waiting to hear from Hospice, but even that wouldn't make up for the rotten miserable hours spent waiting in medical settings (rotten miserable for the elderly patient, that is; the caregiver can always knit or read.)

Consider how much worse that patient feels after an hour in a heavily airconditioned office, sitting on a hard plastic chair, when he's really to weak to be able to sit up comfortably anywhere except in a recliner.

I don't suppose the situation will ever get anything but worse, as more and more sophisticated equipment and tests are required to bridge the gap between doctor and patient - did I say "bridge"? I meant "widen".

No, I'm not shy. and especially I'm not shy when it comes to looking after Bob. But what can you do when the medical system becomes so impersonal, so out of touch with what makes him comfortable, what he can handle physically and psychologically?

What I meant when I wrote that it's either home or the ER was that the actual event of seeing a doctor is out of the question at home, so you stay there undoctored, so to speak, or else go to the ER for some problem that wouldn't otherwise warrant such a step.

GRRRRRR

Thanks for letting me whine.

Tomkitten--

You're entitled to whine--or bitch. Unfortunately you don't have time to storm the barricades this week or next.

Do you have a wheelchair for Bob? His own wheelchair could be more comfortable than sitting on an easily-sterilized, office/school lunch chair.