A year ago we completed Mom's first assessment wherein she qualified for the Alaska Medicaid Waiver program. These criteria are based on state interpretation of the what constitutes acceptable entry into the program. Most certainly income is one of those items. But the overriding criteria is based on ability to care for oneself in important ways.
Last year Mom was still using oxygen, she could no longer complete her own hygiene unassisted and she needed others to manage her medications. That was sufficient to qualify her. This year, for whatever reason, she is not showing signs of needing oxygen and the 24 hour monitoring that goes with it. However, her care has increased anyway. She is not able to find the dining room at all times without direction. She is not able to dress herself without assistance. She can not reliably find her way back to her room without assistance.
Apparently there is a numbering system which indicates degree of dependency on others. Mom's numbers increased in all of those areas that I mentioned and the evaluating nurse said she likely would be renewed. I certainly hope so. I dropped her trust fund when she entered Anchorage Pioneer Home to simplify our finances and have not sheltered her money to keep her income below acceptable levels for even Medicaid. I could re-instate it, but at the very least, it would mean Mom would need to return home and would have less hours available in her plan of care than before. We would not be able to take care of her without my staying at home to be with her.
These things become very serious at junctures like this. I am the primary bread winner for my family and both of us need to work to maintain our home through the winter months. I will know in a week.
