My dad escaped!

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The thoughts of CivicFan and Ray Garlington are right on.

The reality is that the cost of providing reasonably good care for the elderly is beyond the reach of all but the very well off, therefore corners will be cut everywhere possible. That sounds like good business and a reasonable accomodation until you see in real life what that looks like, particularly if it is your own relative who takes the brunt.
 
I'm sorry, I know this is not a good situation, but your dad ROCKS!

86 years old, busts out of 'jail', and makes it back home to watch TV, like nothing unusual has happened. You can just see it in a movie (picture Clint Eastwood) "What, you didn't think they could KEEP me, did ya?"

But, on a more serious note, i'd be seetyhing mad with the home right now - $3k/month, and he just walks away? I'd be in there, busting some chops with no let-up. you didn't pay that amount to have this worry!
 
To OP--one of my family members used to work in a locked Alzheimer's unit. Yes, there is a code to get in and out (usually different), but patients watch staff VERY closely. Newer/healthier patients are the highest flight risk. They have more reasoning ability. They do not want to be there, and they will do what they can to get out. At some point outsmarting staff becomes a game to some of them.

Good luck with your dad, and to others, if you have not taken care of someone suffering from dementia/Alzheimer's, please do not fault the OP for his actions. You have NO idea how hard it is to care of someone with this disease.
 
I think most likely he didn't walk 13 miles, but either hitch hiked or remember some public transit method that get him home.

I agree that state agency and police won't do much since he is no longer in immediate danger, and the budget cuts make these agencies well understaffed.

Wonder if there are water proof GPS devices that you can ankle him to and cannot be taken off, so in case he escape again, you can find him pretty quickly.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
These make funny family stories, but are actually quite scary in reality.



Very True...
 
I don't think that he's been planning his escape. His short term memory only lasts about 4 seconds then he has forgotten already. He can remember things from WW2 and such but nothing from the last 20 years or so.

We kept him at home as long as we could but when my mom had to go to a nursing home I had to find ways to have him "Baby sat". That didn't work out too well. He can't be left alone so I had some of the neighbor Kids watching him.

He became too aggressive with them. Threw things, gave another a fat lip etc. In home care is 2x what the Alzheimer place charges and we are running out of money fast.
 
does he have medicare or medicaid? the government will pay for nursing home placement for him. finding an Alzheimer's nursing home should be responsibility of his insurance plan.
 
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
does he have medicare or medicaid? the government will pay for nursing home placement for him. finding an Alzheimer's nursing home should be responsibility of his insurance plan.
They put a lien on the property. Trying to keep that from happening.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
does he have medicare or medicaid? the government will pay for nursing home placement for him. finding an Alzheimer's nursing home should be responsibility of his insurance plan.
They put a lien on the property. Trying to keep that from happening.


oh, I forgot. if he has assets, they can do that. I wonder how many people know that. if you end up in a nursing home paid for the by medicare or medicaid, they take your assets as collateral. if your paying 3 grand a month, that's 36k/yr. if he lives another 5 years, your paying $180,000 out of your pocket. it almost makes sense for someone not to work or hire a babysitter or home health aide on the cheap to watch him.
 
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Originally Posted By: morris
not only he walked 13 miles. he found his WAY by HIMSELF. or did he get a ride?
We will never know. He still has a pretty good memory from 20+ years ago. Knows the home phone number, address etc

He looked pretty wore out when I got home. I think he walked or atleast walked most of the way. I always check for strange tire tracks.I did not see any strange tire tracks in the sand over my tracks. I did see foot prints in the sand.
 
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
does he have medicare or medicaid? the government will pay for nursing home placement for him. finding an Alzheimer's nursing home should be responsibility of his insurance plan.
They put a lien on the property. Trying to keep that from happening.


oh, I forgot. if he has assets, they can do that. I wonder how many people know that. if you end up in a nursing home paid for the by medicare or medicaid, they take your assets as collateral. if your paying 3 grand a month, that's 36k/yr. if he lives another 5 years, your paying $180,000 out of your pocket. it almost makes sense for someone not to work or hire a babysitter or home health aide on the cheap to watch him.


Huh? Sorry to go OT a bit, but if they are PAYING then why do they need collateral? If Medicare is LENDING the money with expectation of repayment based upon sale of assets at some end point down the line, then it doesn't sound like it is really payment in terms of a benefit, but rather just a loan...
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
does he have medicare or medicaid? the government will pay for nursing home placement for him. finding an Alzheimer's nursing home should be responsibility of his insurance plan.
They put a lien on the property. Trying to keep that from happening.


oh, I forgot. if he has assets, they can do that. I wonder how many people know that. if you end up in a nursing home paid for the by medicare or medicaid, they take your assets as collateral. if your paying 3 grand a month, that's 36k/yr. if he lives another 5 years, your paying $180,000 out of your pocket. it almost makes sense for someone not to work or hire a babysitter or home health aide on the cheap to watch him.


Huh? Sorry to go OT a bit, but if they are PAYING then why do they need collateral? If Medicare is LENDING the money with expectation of repayment based upon sale of assets at some end point down the line, then it doesn't sound like it is really payment in terms of a benefit, but rather just a loan...


Yeah, bro. I didn't know about the collateral thing either. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but the government will take your assets. I work for a medicaid insurance plan, lots of people avoid sending their elderly parents to nursing homes because they have to sign over their parent's payed off house, social security checks, disability checks, or retirement pensions. I'm not sure what else is involved because I don't work in the nursing home area of our insurance plan. A co-worker who works in our long term part of our insurance plan told me the same thing. I think to get any health insurance plan to pay for nursing home placement, you have to buy long term care health insurance. traditionally, commercial health insurance plans only pay up to 90 days of nursing home placement. I think Medicare is 6 months max in a nursing home. not 100% sure though.

I found some info on it on medicare website.

http://www.medicare.gov/longtermcare/static/PayingOverview.asp
 
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it's usually the nursing home that will take ownership of the house. medicare funds usually pay 3-4 months out of the year. The rest of the time the person has to go on Medicaid. But in order to do so, one should not have assets as medicaid is for the poor.

The nursing home takes the person's assets to make them poor so that they can collect medicaid funds.The proceeds from the sale of the house will then compensate the nursing home for the difference in the cost of providing care and medicaid reimbursement.

So it's a good idea to plan for this eventuality and start transferring his assets so that the nursing home does not get them. Check with a financial planner for tax implications. Also, as an Alzheimer's patient, your dad may not be able to represent himself. I hope you have the power of attorney for him.
 
You could I guess talk to an attorney to see if letting Dad escape is medical malpractice, even if he didn't suffer injury. The nursing home will have insurance, you could settle out of court, and have funding for his care a while longer without liquidating his real estate.

Nursing homes are pretty threadbare operations. I've heard of ones borrowing $400 generators during hurricanes to keep oxygen machines running. They don't have one in their budget or contingency plans. I know an RN who was going to quit a nursing home and they begged her to stay on since they couldn't pay her ~6 weeks comp time she saved up.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Nursing homes are pretty threadbare operations. I've heard of ones borrowing $400 generators during hurricanes to keep oxygen machines running. They don't have one in their budget or contingency plans. I know an RN who was going to quit a nursing home and they begged her to stay on since they couldn't pay her ~6 weeks comp time she saved up.


All believable. Just imagine what kind of care they are able to buy as far CNA, LPN or RN staff goes.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
You could I guess talk to an attorney to see if letting Dad escape is medical malpractice, even if he didn't suffer injury. The nursing home will have insurance, you could settle out of court, and have funding for his care a while longer without liquidating his real estate.

Nursing homes are pretty threadbare operations. I've heard of ones borrowing $400 generators during hurricanes to keep oxygen machines running. They don't have one in their budget or contingency plans. I know an RN who was going to quit a nursing home and they begged her to stay on since they couldn't pay her ~6 weeks comp time she saved up.


This sounds like a pretty reasonable option - your dad is lucky to be tough enough to still be alive. The home is going to look REALLY bad, and don't have much of a leg to stand on....
 
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