care givers leave

[Ontario caregiver]

Has anyone taken the 8 weeks caregiver leave through unemployment and does anyone else know of other grants or organization tHat help out financially.

my husband Has been diognoised for 6 1/2 years and i feel it is time for me to be with him. it was Hard to accept tHat i was going to take this leave, as it was saying i was letting "lou" win over my husbands fight with als,

i just found this sight so will be interesting to correspond with other als survivors and the caregivers and love ones of all.

this disease affects so many people from the person who Has als to people who do not even know you but Have deep sorrow for us for Having to watch our love one die a slow death

will love to here from anyone and good luck to all in their fight against "louie" this is our name for the disease.


als caregiver from ontario

[me]

Glad you have joined our site. i live in the u.s. so unfortunately i can't answer your question about "leave". but, if it is available, you should take it. you could probably use the break from working outside the home and inside....and it would be so good to be with your husband. that's just my perspective. hope you stick around here, there are some great people to be in touch with here.

which makes me think, where is everyone? the group doesn't seem to be having the jovial time lately we were having for awhile. is it just the winter? that's always my excuse....me.

[Al]

I'm my usual jovial self. we got home last night about midnight and haven't been near a computer since tues. or was it wed? talk about separation anxiety. the drive from florida was long but we took 4 days so it wasn't too tiring. went to the us airforce museum in dayton yesterday. great place for us plane nuts. meaning someone who is nuts about airplanes rather than someone who is just plain nuts.
regarding leave i haven't been in that scenario but maybe carol or tbear can field that question.

[PALS Mike]

We looked into it for andrea (my Wife)...

We phoned and the gov't has a 28 Week ui sponsored 'caregiver' leave...
but the person being cared for has to be given less than 6 months to live!!!

seeing as i have no plans to go 'anyWhere' for aWhile...not an option.

she is currently on a disabilty/stress leave of absence from her Work that her benefits package may cover.
she finished Work in january and her claim Was denied!
apparently sunlife doesn't feel We fit the criteria (me...dx'd W/ als, tWo boys (6&4), and andrea Workin' 32+ hrs a Week...hmmm ).

We've appealed and still Waiting for a decision...


Welcome back al!

[TBear]

Hi folks:
i never took advantage of tHe respite care package Here. i believe tHat it was available tHrougH tHe local access to care, or tHrougH tHe als clinic at sunnybrook. i don't know if you Have tHat in alberta mike, but maybe if you cHeck witH tHe clinic tHey migHt be able to Help you out.
al, tHe dayton aviation museum is ratHer substantial. tHere are a lot of prototypes tHat were interesting. i'm off to england on monday and to duxford. tHe imperial war museum is tHere witH a lot of ww2 airplanes... including an airwortHy mosquito tHat i'm dying to get into! tHe americans were based tHere as well and tHere is a display tHere as well. i Hope tHat tHe professor is still talking to me by tHe time i'm done!
cHeers
t.

[Theresa2004]

Mike, keep fighting. there are so many fraudsters out there, the insurance companies and the employers can't recognize a legitimate claim. they take our money so we are protected, but can't part with it when needed.
fizzcat, do what t-bear suggested, look at all the organizations who can help, and investigate what your company can offer. i was going to suggest stress leave to you. so many employers preach work, and family on paper, thereby showing compassion; they hook up with insurance companies to moderate and facilitate, but they won't part with their money.
al and lee, nice to see you returned in one piece. i met tara, she is wonderful and gorgeous. we had a great chat and shared some ideas. wonderful if she could join us at our next meeting. get some rest, we will be putting you to work!
have a great trip ted...did you get an invite to charles and camilla's wedding?

[Al]

Hi mike. sun life is my carrier too and tHey are a pain in tHe butt. tHey deny everytHing sucH as assistive aids and i am sending a letter tHis week requesting funding for 2 braces for my left Hand tHat is getting a bit (lot) to me crooked. tHey want paperwork and estimates for all tHat stuff. my bipap mask was covered but only after sending a letter from tHe assistive devices pool stating tHey did not cover it.
tbear. dayton is great. tHay Have a mosquito on display tHere as well. not sure if i took a picture of it. last year wHen tHere i suckHoled my way into tHe cockpit of boxxcar tHe b-29 tHat dropped tHe bomb on nagasaki to end world war 2 in tHe pacific. not so lucky tHis year. walked 3 or 4 Hours and was pooped. Had to sit a few times along tHe way too.
and as an added footnote if you need a lawyer mike to sue tHe ins. co i can recommend HigHly a guy in toronto. Hope it doesn't come to tHat.

[Ontario caregiver]

Boy what a scare, sunlife declined this request, i just sent mine in so i hope all goes well and also for you, with 2 small children and als to deal with i can not believe the insurance company decline.

best of luck

[Ontario caregiver]

Hi again just read some more replys, i agree insurance company's love our payment not nice to giveback. all tHe words of encouagement are always needed for myself and anyone else out tHere tying to just give tHe very best to all als survivors and tHeir love ones. if anyone else Has any best practices please add to replys as any news or Happenings can be a learming experience to all.

i could not get tHe switcH for tHe Hospital bed covered for making bed to Head up feet down etc but tHe insurance company would pay for a new $800.00 new mattress wHen ok'd by doctor i was only asking for approx $150.00 for switcH wHicH was declined, but, instead, as i said tHey paid for tHe mattress as my Husband Had a back/spine cHange. so always submit everytHing as you never know wHat is covered

well onto some good stuff. just tHink spring is just around tHe corner and being an ontarian we Have Had our sHare of too mucH winter.

[PALS Mike]

We do have home/respite care here...
it's covered by ablerta health and the calgary regional health association.

andy (andrea) and i have homecare in 5 days a Week to help me shoWer, eat and do physio therapy. it has been a big help.

apparently, a lot of insurance company employees Won't approve claims (if they don't fall 'exactly' Within their guidelines) as it Will affect their bonuses. most people Won't appeal and the insurance company employees get their bonus.

one person's greed vs another person's need!

[Lymiecanuck]

Hey mike,

make sure you fight tHem. sunlife is tHe company that refused me my work shortterm disabitliy wHen i could barely walk. i appealed it and lost again.

good luck
lymiecanuck

[Al]

Might be time to consult a lawyer. you can sue an insurance company and win. i know from personal experience.

[mannco74]

My carrier is great west life and thet have been pretty good. they don't pay for Mechanical devices like our elevator but did for power chair. as soon as we got chair we donate to als for tax deduction. aids to daily living supplied gaper hoist lift and sling, als paid for rails if you donate back to theM (expensive). two hospital beds one paid by insurance one by als we donated both to als. we pay 25 prcent of total aids to daily living per year and have hoMe care 3 days a week 4 hours a day.

have been to duxford, its great as is hendon (north london). next Must see is le borget on outskirts of paris, has russian, french etc.
here we are in ranger navion
http://www.geocities.coM/Mannco74/ready.jpg

[me]

Yikes, i don't even want to think about that headache! i've already been around the block with our insurance...and that was just for some of the testing that has been done. i can imagine that andrea needs some time off. i hope her insurance will pay. melissa

[Ontario caregiver]

Mike

in ontario you are allowed 8 weeks compasion leave how do you get 28 weeks, is that when you leave your job completly or in calgary do you have something else.

thanks for your information



ontario

[PALS Mike]

It's alway good to check my info and my sources before posting...d'oh!!!

ok, here's the scoop...
from the employment insurance (ei) compassionate care benefits website.
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/asp/gateway.asp?hr=/en/ei/types/compassionate_care.shtml&hs=tyt
since january 4, 2004, compassionate care benefits may be paid up to a maximum of 6 weeks to a person who has to be absent from work to provide care or support to a gravely ill family member at risk of dying within 26 weeks. unemployed persons on ei can also ask for this type of benefits.

to be eligible for compassionate care benefits you must apply and show that:

your regular weekly earnings from work have decreased by more than 40%; and
you have accumulated 600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks or since the start of your last claim. this period is called the qualifying period.

sorry for the mis-info.

btw - andrea was denied again!!! by sunlife. apparently she needs to be in a straight jacket and seriously medicated to even consider a 'stress' claim...
it ain't over yet!!!

[Theresa2004]

Time to see if your local newspaper, or one larger. has an urge to go after the insurance company via a human interest story where one of the organizations involved is not human...might get their socks aflame...no one likes negative publicity.

[Timshelper]

Hi,
i'm going to take the home care course so i asked the nurse and home care since i would be staying with tim and had the course would i get paid. the answer a big fat no. cant stop a girl from trying.
kim

[Ontario caregiver]

Hello

i have not been on for our while, we where at als clinic tuesday, and now know our compation forms will be signed when we are ready to use. i was concerned about the clause that you have to be dying in 6 months, which i felt was a clause that could hinder me in collecting the 6 weeks of ui, and i know my husband has no intentions of leaving, but i thought this was going to be a big issue that an als caregiver may have as an bump on the road with the government. what is important is if it is time to use this ui, especilly for the caregiver, it is 6 weeks of some small income that can at least give you some time to rest. right now i am on a stress leave so i will not be using ui right now. as a caregiver we have a tendancy to give and forget about ourselves, so if anyone is feeling like this just voice your opinion on this web site. i have found this als chat so informative and a place to read and learn and to talk to all who is dealing with als.

so too all don't forget to think of youself once in awhile your love one will be happier if you are rested and happier yourself.

all the best will, wait for others to comment

ontario