Roll in shower-cost-funding

[TRACY22]

OK, house modifications are the pit and expensive. We all need or want showers that we can eventually be rolled into, hosed off, and turn around and do our pvt business.

But for those who have or know, how do you fund this expensive project?

 

[Al]

Hi Tracy. In Ontario, Canada there is the March of Dimes that will assist with funding for home and vehicle modifications. They base the funding on your income. The CMHC (Central Mortgage and Housing Corp) also gives assistance but bases what they give on everyone in the house's income. If you have a couple of working kids at home they take their wages into account. The ALSA office nearest you should know where to get assistance and we were told by the ALS Clinic where to apply as well. I see you are in the states so things might be different but I think you have March of Dimes down there don't you? AL.

 

[TRACY22]

the catch

With the wife working, and no second mortgage, most options have her quiting. Then using all my equity til she looses the home.

I want her to have the choice of keeping the home later.

not easy answer

 

[JustMe]

paying for home modifications - - - - any hope out there ?

I have the same general question - does anyone have any experience with getting funding for home mods? I am in the states, Pennsylvania, and am getting to the point where I am NOT going to be able to climb the stairs in a 3-story town house very much longer. The local chapter of ALSA has been of virtually NO HELP - the offer I did get from them was to deliver a hospital bed and bedside commode, to be placed conveniently between the living room and dining room. Things are much different down here in the lower 50 - and also vary drastically from state to state. One is very much on ones own.

I need a way to get UP and DOWN - in one piece. There is no realistic way to install an elevator - not and leave any resale value on the building, even if I could afford it. I would like for my wife to be able to keep our home - but without some kind of outside funding, the only option seems to be to clean out all of the savings and investment accounts and leave her with nothing but the insurance when the time comes. She also has serious illness and would be hard pressed to find a way to support herself here.

Any ideas will be seriously appreciated.

 

[hope]

I understand what you are saying. My husband and I have paid for everything ourselves. It is so sad because not only do we have to deal with the illness but paying for everything to give our loved ones the comfort they need. It should not be this way, there should be help for everyone regardless. There is so much involved, holding on to one's home and trying to pay for equipment is very hard. When these things are needed for those who are ill they should be given to them.

sandy.

 

[lcarlile67]

funding

Talk to the ALS social worker - in your chapter -- some states like Missouri have some sort of "SPEND DOWN" funding thing in which they caculate the assets & split in half between the husband and wife - and then HALF of the ASSETS from the healthy spouse are protected --- you can spend down the other half of the assets -- and then they are suppost to pay for other stuff after you spend half so KEEP RECIEPTS for aLL MEDICAL CARE RELATED TO ALS .... -- I am checking into that now - I wonder if it is worth it ? -- What exactly do they help fund ? Who are they - I am not quite sure ? the Social Worker said he would talk to us more about it later ..... he said another option was Hospice .... of course our incurance pays for home health care/ PT/ OT/ Bath Aid .... and I am glad for that ... -- I don't want to lose all our savings and lose the house --- and my husband refuses to get any equiptment that is not totally necessary - for fear of running me into the poor house when he dies ... he does not want me destitute --- it is sad that America can pay for alot of things - but can not help the most severe disabled & handicap people. The Government politicians should come see what a day in the life is like for a patient with ALS -- and they would pass some benevolence laws fast ... I think they just don't understand what it is like to be severely handicap ..

 

[lcarlile67]

Go To Church For Help

Our local church helps us with things -- I needed a new wood floor installed - my husband was too sick and could not do it - we needed it badly - and a couple of church friends came over and they laid down my floor in one afternoon. -- The ALS association teamed up with some local churches and they built us a ramp - the guys who actually built it were the husband of a social worker and a father of an ALS patient -- they even paid for the supplies ... it was all free of charge .... GO TO YOUR LOCAL CHURCH CONGREGATION - talk to the pastor about how expensive it is and how needed your needs are for basic daily living -- - let the pastor come over for a day and see for his own self what the needs are in your home - then he may take up a love offering for you - and also send a team of local church men to your house to start the work .... -- ASK the LORD's People - and Watch what they can do for you in the name of the Lord ! -- There are many church people across America waiting for a mission to help someone in need, like you, even you !

 

[raggedymary]

My parents are in the same situation - 3 story townhouse. Same recommendation - hospital bed and commode in dining room. This floor is completedly open - living room, dining room, kitchen, so privacy is non existant.

We could exhaust their savings and equity and then . . . but then what do we do with my dad at the end of all this?

I'll be watching for ideas, too.

 

[JustMe]

You don't say where you are, but that sounds shockingly familiar. It is sad & funny to think of this when one hears comments in the media about America having the best health care system in the world.

Laugh loudly everyone.

 

[MtPockets]

I was just told this past week that Medicare does not do anything in the bathroom. So the needed modifications there have to be paid by the individual. It's a shame we can send billions of dollars overseas, but our government can't help pay for a roll in shower for the elderly disabled.
I'm ashamed to be called an American, with a government like this.
We are throw away people. Sorry for the ranting.
God Bless
Capt AL

 

[giangregos]

I was diagnosed with ALS in January 2008 and am facing the same issues as I've read in this post. I have the added burden of being a US citizen living in Germany with American insurance. All items which provide assistance such as bathroom rails, bathtub lifting devices and all other devices which allow limited mobility would be paid for by German insurance but is not covered by my American insurance. Even know I am a legal resident in the state of Illinois I cannot receive state assistance because I'm not physically living in the state. Likewise, I cannot rent or borrow equipment from local ALS chapters, because I'm overseas, and there are no such programs here in Germany. Matters are complicated by the fact that the dollar is doing so poorly against the euro. Not only must I buy devices that at inflated prices, but I also lose with the exchange rate. The same is true with my medical coverage. My insurance pays for 90% of all medications and outpatient care, but with the exchange rate I do not receive enough reimbursement to even cover those expenses without paying out of pocket. To move my German wife and family back to the United States for the few years I have would create even more financial burden, which we simply cannot afford. As of yet I have not found a solution to any of these issues, nor have I been able to find a way of offsetting or mitigating the costs associated with ALS. If and when I do, I will post my findings

 

[SMillheiser]

I can help- ALS Guardian Angels

I've been reading of the financial problems alot of you are having, especially as relates to bathroom and shower modifications. I may be able to help. I have a foundation called The ALS Guardian Angels. We help PALS/CALS with the necessites of living with this disease. Our website is: ALSGuardianAngels.com. Click the GRANTS button and you'll see what we offer.

You may have problems sending the grant application online as it seems to be constantly malfunctioning. So, if you are interested, you can contact me at

Tel: 949-488-9894 or 949-233-3045
Email: [email protected]

Stu

 

[Judith]

I was just told this past week that Medicare does not do anything in the bathroom. So the needed modifications there have to be paid by the individual. It's a shame we can send billions of dollars overseas, but our government can't help pay for a roll in shower for the elderly disabled.
I'm ashamed to be called an American, with a government like this.
We are throw away people. Sorry for the ranting.
God Bless
Capt AL

I couldn't have said it any better, MtPockets! Shame on this government.

 

[joelc]

If it makes you feel any better, we are not helped with these kind of things in Canada either.

Sad, but true!

Another thing that really bugs me is if I decided to not take a trache and vent and agreed to die there is all kinds of help I could have. But since I have a trache and vent there is absolutely nothing.

They support you to die but if you want to live there is nothing - you are completely on your own.

What is wrong with this picture?

 

[MtPockets]

Not thru ranting just yet

An another thing as a Christian, why are my tax dollars paying for abortions in France to the tune of over $500,000,000. That was part of the stimulus bill? :shock::shock: Stimulate what? :evil: Don't go there AL.

Bah Humbug, I just hate to see what is happening not only with our government but the world. There is only one thing it can be, JUDGMENT.

May God have mercy on us, the government sure won't.

Now I feel a Little better getting that off my chest. I hope you have a great day.