Aging in America
Aging in America conjures the image of people enjoying their golden years in Florida or seniors aging with dignity in nursing homes. Contrary to this image there is a large number of people who fall through the cracks. These are the seniors who depend on Medicaid for nursing care. The care is not free, the total expenses incurred will be collected from the Medicaid beneficiary's estate. This program has a rider, if a person can be taken care for 60% (in Ohio) of nursing home cost, the person will be provided care at home.
Every Friday, I distribute meals to seniors who are provided care at home and it raises the question in me on what basis the decision to provide care at home is made.
One person to whom I deliver meals, turned 94 last week, he is severely arthritic whose leg freezes in Cleveland winter, he lives alone, I am sure he wouldn't have chosen to live alone but for the Medicaid rules.
Another person aged enough to call a 80 year old kiddo, collects soda cans as donations to supplement her meager Social Security Income, she lives alone in an apartment, an existence beyond description.
These people are not free riding the system, during their productive years they went to wars, produced steel and automobiles and worked as teachers.
Throwing the rule book at these seniors and subjecting them to discomfort seems............
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