Saturday, July 13, 2019

Blessed are the Caregivers



Who is at the side of the road in your life and needs a helping hand? For me, my neighbor Maggie enjoys living in her renovated home after receiving grants to remodel her home to make it safe and comfortable.

The next step was to find out what government services were available since she only survives on her social security. This adventure dealing with our government system can be best described with the acronym (YGTBK) “You Got to Be Kidding.”

The Office of the Aging was helpful in suggesting that due to her low income she was eligible to apply for SSI to help pay her bills. However, to our dismay she was denied since she had two life insurance policies. We learned that to qualify for SSI you are not allowed to have no more than $2000 in your savings and/or checking account.

Next step, she decided to surrender her life insurance policies and apply the funds to a pre-funeral account. This decision helped complete her funeral arrangements and her savings would be below the $2000 limit. We waited on the phone for three hours to make a follow-up appointment with social security, but gladly returned and she was approved for SSI.

The next step, no you are never done as a caregiver. We helped apply for in-home care services. After a three-hour interrogation process, she was approved. Then a state agency had to be selected and another three-hour investigation finally approved home care to keep her safe.

Sadly, Maggie is still waiting for the agency to complete their paperwork, but our hope is that these services will bring her a “caregiver” an in-home aide, who will get to know Maggie and make her life safe and comfortable.


Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who serve as caregivers for family, neighbors and friends. The Beatitudes for Caregivers: 

Blessed are those who sleep poorly because they're worried about their loved one or because their loved one wakes in the middle of the and needs help, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are those who mourn because their loved one, though still alive, is slipping away because of dementia, for they will be comforted. 
Blessed are the meek who force themselves to speak up and speak out to make sure their loved one receives the help they need, for they will inherit the land. 
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for answers to why this is happening to their loved one and how much longer it will go on, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are those who show mercy, kindness and compassion to their loved one, for they will be shown mercy, kindness and compassion. 
Blessed are those who keep clean a love one who is physically or mentally unable to keep themselves clean, for they will see God. 
Blessed are those who helped their loved one find moments of peace, for they will be called children of God. 
Blessed are those who are misunderstood, not appreciated, and taken for granted in their role as caregiver, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are you whose caregiving efforts are unjustly criticized -- or who are falsely accused of not caring about others -- because of your love for your care-receiver...and your love for God, who has asked you to help his beloved son or daughter. 
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.