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.
