CareGifters: Raising Money to Help Janet
Jun 4 2012 in CareGifters, Denise's Blog by Denise
Janet and her husband in healthy times.
(Update: On Monday, June 18, I sent $500 to Janet. Thanks so much to all for your generosity!!)
On Friday, Janet McCaskill, one of our Facebook fans, posted a request for help:
“I have been caring for my husband on a full-time basis since 2005. He has permanent cerebellum damage and is not very ambulatory. It is exhausting and getting home health assistance has been a battle. I am getting ready to have a hysterectomy (cancer) and will not be able to lift him. I cannot get assistance for less than $15 per hour. It will drastically deplete what savings are left during that month after my surgery. I thought I had exhausted all the known sources of help but Medicare just ended PT for him and wound care only comes once every 10 days. Any suggestions?”
I suggested Janet complete an application to receive funds through our CareGifters program. As you know, through CareGifters, we raise $500 to help a family caregiver in need.
Janet completed her application on Friday and provided the following additional information:
CareGifters: How will the money we raise for you be used?
Janet: It will be used to pay for someone to assist in his daily needs such as bathing him, transferring him and changing his diapers.
CareGifters: What are your three greatest challenges?
Janet: Financial burdens are huge! Time to allow me to relax even if for an hour a day. Giving him the proper care each day that he needs without any added stress.
Janet will have her surgery on June 29.
(Janet has been in touch with her community organizations, such as Catholic Charities. We also suggested she contact her local Area Agency on Aging.)
Today, we’re raising money to help Janet, who will be our seventh CareGifters recipient. You can donate via the button below. You can donate as little (just $5) or as much as you can–we are very grateful for any contribution you make.
After Janet receives her $500, she’ll share how she used it and its impact on our websites (Caregiving.com and CareGifters.org) and Your Caregiving Journey talk show.
You can donate below. CareGifters is operated through The Center for Family Caregivers, a charitable organization. We use PayPal to process your donation. (Please note: The Center for Family Caregivers does not currently have tax exempt status with the IRS so donations are not tax deductible.)
Thanks so much to all who help!!!
And, if you are a family caregiver in need and would like to be considered in the future to receive CareGifters funds, fill out the application here.
Related Articles
- CareGifters: Giving to Teri (caregiving.com)
- Giving to BreeAnna (caregiving.com)
- Saturday’s Yard/Bake Sale for Teri (caregiving.com)
Trish said on June 4, 2012
Thank you for telling us about Janet. I’m happy she reached out for help. The CareGifters program really is such a help to people!
Jan said on June 12, 2012
I don’t know where Janet is located, but her husband’s doctor should be able to write a prescription for home health care for him. My mother, also on Medicare, was able to receive visits from the home health care nurses, and even a few nurse’s aides (for bathing assistance, light chores, etc.) for the better part of last year. She received a couple of visits per week for the first couple of weeks, and then, of course, those tapered off to one a week, and one every two weeks toward the end of the allotted time period, but she was requalified several times. Press the doctor.
And given her condition, Janet should also look into getting a prescription from her oncologist for home health care for herself. Hopefully, Janet also has someone to advocate for her who can help her to rattle the gates, so to speak. That’s what Medicare is for. Let’s use it while we still have it.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Janet and her husband.
Denise said on June 12, 2012
Hi–Yes, Janet’s been using Medicare for home care services for several years. She’s running into the problem of not having enough help and, as you know, Medicare benefits are intended to be for short term purposes only. Janet has been pounding the pavement to do all she can to find help. It’s just that what she finds is coming up short.