I have a little problem
I was in a car accident ten years ago where my husband was killed and I was left almost paralyzed from the waist down. I can do a lot of things on my own, but I also need an aide to come in once a day.
Well, it used to be that Medicare/Medicaid paid for 12 hour care, then they went down to 8, then 6 and now it's only three hours a day. That's not the problem though. I have caught two of them stealing. When I confronted the first one, she hit me and left. I called the agency and they said that they would send me the best. Well, they did and her name was Blanca and I had her for three years and then she became ill. They send me another one. Again, I had things missing in my house. Now, I didnt' catch the sister doing it, but I don't go anywhere and wasn't anyone else in my house. So, I called the agency and they send me soemone else. She was nice enough and took care of me, but if she was mad, she's pinch me so hard, that I had black and blue marks over my arms. She always said it was an accident and was nice. But one day, she really got mad on the phone and when I asked her what was wrong, she slugged me. I called the police and the agency. Anyway, she never came back, but now the agency is telling me that I am the problem and they refuse to send anyone out anymore. What do I do. I can't afford to pay for hiring someone else. Is it against the law to leave a person like me unattendant. Even the visiting nurse who arranged the agency said that I was a problem. I get stolen from and beat up and I am the problem. Anyone have any idea of what I can do? Help me please.
Dear Lord. What a horrible thing to happen. I would call social services and report the agency. I would go online and look for rights for the handicapped and report the agency. I would call the County attorney and report the agency and I would have thier business shut down.
But first you must find assistance and Im not sure I would want that agency in there in the first place again.
Try contacting social services and get on the program where they pay for your caretaker. I had a friend where they paid for 12 hours a day of care for her and wrote the person a check each month. They came in and cleaned and cooked and did general care for her, bathing etc........
Find a home health care agency in your area who will accept medicade/medicare. I dont know why your hours were cut unless this agency filed saying you did not need the care that long.
I would definately fry this agency and get your hours of service back.
and if all else fails call legal aid and sue the crap out of them.
But first things first. get on the phone to social services as soon as they open and get some assistance in there for you. Do you have a neighbor, friend, or family member who would be willing to sign up to be your care taker? Social Services pays them directly for your care. plus monitors it if you have a decent social service agency in your town.
You are in my prayers and I hope things work out for you .
If it were me I would do everything in my power to shut down that agency. Does your local news station have a segment where they help people in need or investigate cruddy businesses. I would blow the lid off that group if I had to go to the governor.
I'm with Kathie, how in the world can an Agency devoted to Health Care do this to you? I don't know if you have VNS but if one agency does refuse you or is not fulfilling it's job, then they have at least twenty more. Whoever you spoke to should be reported and you should get in touch with any Health Agency and also a Mobile Crisis Unit and tell them that you can't function on your own, nor should you. Write to the Attorney General, your Assemblyman, who you can call directly and your district leader. Shake them up. If you have to, call the media. Sic everyone on them.
I am truly sorry that this is happening to you and I hope that it gets resolved. In the meantime, what are you doing? Please, don't just sit back, take action, get on the phone and write, write and complain. If you know your local TV stations, call them. I know that they will respond. Good luck and please take care of yourself.
Before my mom passed away,I was her caretaker and my brothers.
Rene,I am apalled by the unprofessional way that they have handled your case.
I agree with Violetdove and KathyV.
How could they blame a person confined in a wheel chair for their lack of competant people?
I would file a complaint with social service and definitely report the agency for the way they treated you.
If the people are stealing, then that is the agencys problem.
I would write to your congressman and I think that if the Adult Protection Agency gets involved ,they will provide you help.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Today we have so many agencies that help people in your situation that I am sure you will resolve this issure quickly. Call everyone that is in power and tell them what this Visiting Nurse Agency did to you. The best is the media, like someone mentioned here. They act quickly because it's one of those Human Stories.
I wish you luck.
posted by melG
about 1 year ago
i agree with all of the above you might also need an advocate someone that can come in and see that everything is being done the right way and file complaints for you when things are going wrong,a family member. can be one,that agency has a big problem and should be reported.you must not forget you have a lot of rights.
Agree with KathyV, "sue the crap out of them". First of all, write everything down so you have a record of things that happened. Then stick it to them where they'll feel it.
What a horrible situation you've had to endure. Can't add anything to the ideas suggested, but will certainly pray for relief for you from the situation.
Keep all of your records and take them to court. That's the long term solution, in the meantime get in touch with some NAACP organizations for immediate help. I know that my father had a problem something like yours a few years back, and that's what we did. Also, get on the phone and start complaining to all the officials whose numbers are listed. Good luck to you.
There are very strong laws that do not allow any agency to leave a person such as yourself unattended. Call every paper and TV station that you know of and make it a Human Interest Story. Call you city officials and your Governor. Call the Mayor's office, they act quickly. Then take that agency and if they are still around after all the call and the media, then sue the hell out of them. If you need a good lawyer that will work for free, PM me and I will set it up. But do what has to be done first. That agency is breaking the law, heavy duty.
I see in your profile you live in Houston Texas, I will be contacting someone I know here in Cleveland, who maybe able to get you some help, I am praying. Do you have a program there called "Passport" it picks up where medicare and medicaid leave off. They can get you your hours back. Also if you have major difficulty walking they pay for Hoverrounds. By any chance can you get a nannycam? There is nothing like cold hard evidence to get a problem taken care of fast. You have called the police on several occassions, get those police reports in your hands. You need to start to build a case. Start to write down times, how many asst. you have had, remember names and who you talked to when. This is your life and it is worth fighting for. Who can you trust? Are there STNA's at your church who can take on another case, maybe you can switch to their agency? You are in my prayers. It may take a couple of days for me to hear back from my friend, but I will hear something.
