Hi. I posted 10 days ago stating my dad needed to move out of I dependent living ( just moved in) and into assisted. That has all changed. He is now in hospital with bladder cancer, they are trying to remove him from ventilator ( needed for his surgery procedure yesterday) him tomorrow , and he turning corner from septic shock, and has multiple other issues. He has been stating for a while he doesn’t want to live bc he hasn’t been well and I understand that. Im in Buffalo and he’s in Philly. His “ girlfriend” of 38 years just gave up on him last week ( the ride is t fun. Kw I guess) so it’s all crashing down. Anyway. I’m down with him now and Palliative care suggesting i move him to a skilled nursing facility by me and eventually he’ll need hospice. I have the places in mind but.. how will he get to me? And what if he’s not able to be transported ? I can’t leave him in Philly alone? Who do I reach out to to help me navigate this ? What else should I be doing? There are so many unknowns. And what do I do in the meantime? I don’t want to leave him in the hospital alone but he needs to be on antibiotics in hospital. for 6 more days. - im not sure I can keep missing work ?? I need some advice on how to manage this or who to turn to to talk through these kinds of things? Elder law ? ( I have power of attorney and a copy of his living will). Also - when I have to start doing things in his behalf, ( he just sold his house) is that power of attorney paper enogh if I have to do business transactions for him ( oe end a lease at his new apartment for example). Sorry for the crazy order of questions. Answer some or all. This all happened today. I drive down yesterday. Thx
Many people deal with care while still working. If you go back, deal on the phone. Sitting at dad's bedside is not very proactive if you are not physically doing something.
From https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/ambulance-services :
"Ambulance services
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)covers ground ambulance transportation when traveling in any other vehicle could endanger your health, and you need medically necessary services from a:
- Hospital
- Critical access hospital
- Rural emergency hospital, or
- Skilled nursing facility
Medicare may pay for emergency ambulance transportation in an airplane or helicopter if you need immediate and rapid transport that ground transportation can’t provide.
In some cases, Medicare may pay for limited, medically necessary, non-emergency ambulance transportation if you have a written order from your doctor stating that the transportation is medically necessary."
Call a Medicare rep to see if his transport can be covered. See if you can get a written order from his doctor.