My mom had a stroke yesterday and has very little short term memory. Help me figure out next steps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone else said - MAKE SURE SHE IS NOT IN OBSERVATION STATUS. talk to the nurse - say please, I need you to confirm that my mom is not listed as in observation status. If she is in observation status while in the hospital medicare will not pay for rehab. Often sometimes even the doc or nurse dont think someone is listed in this status and they are. You want them to physically check it and confirm. Even when admitted they can still be in this status.

https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2018/medicare-observation-rule-fd.html

I'm adding that after the nurse confirms, tomorrow when the dr rounds (they round in the morning, that is when you want to make sure you are around the hospital room as consistently as possible - no long breakfasts away) ask again. I want to confirm that my mom is not in observation status, can you please make sure to double check for me and let me know? (we had one doc tell us no he's not! and it turns out HE WAS! They need to actually check)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone else said - MAKE SURE SHE IS NOT IN OBSERVATION STATUS. talk to the nurse - say please, I need you to confirm that my mom is not listed as in observation status. If she is in observation status while in the hospital medicare will not pay for rehab. Often sometimes even the doc or nurse dont think someone is listed in this status and they are. You want them to physically check it and confirm. Even when admitted they can still be in this status.

https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2018/medicare-observation-rule-fd.html

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old is she?

72

Okay that is quite young. Good luck with rehab and please have the social worker explain when medicare will pay and when it won't. Also don't let them discharge early.

Call medicare and also have them explain it, they are govt workers and if you get a good one they will tell exactly what not to do since they are not in it for profit.

I was lucky my SIL is a lawyer and kept track of all the time date and everything to keep her in status to be paid for.

Also, hopefully it does not come to this but understand hospice vs rehab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She had an MRI this AM that confirmed several small strokes. She was just admitted and the doctor said she must go to rehab for 4 weeks at least when he saw her an hour or so ago. I am feeling calmer now, like they are understanding how compromised she is more. Sadly she doesn’t know what month or year it is at this point but her physical body seems mostly unaffected. Heartbreaking. Thank you for your advice. —OP

I am so glad to hear this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old is she?

72

Okay that is quite young. Good luck with rehab and please have the social worker explain when medicare will pay and when it won't. Also don't let them discharge early.

Call medicare and also have them explain it, they are govt workers and if you get a good one they will tell exactly what not to do since they are not in it for profit.

I was lucky my SIL is a lawyer and kept track of all the time date and everything to keep her in status to be paid for.

Also, hopefully it does not come to this but understand hospice vs rehab.

OP if you plan to call Medicare, remember that if the government shuts down there might not be anyone to whom you can ask questions. So if you have any call before tomorrow COB.

[Anonymous]

I have no advice but you have my sympathies. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old is she?

72

Okay that is quite young. Good luck with rehab and please have the social worker explain when medicare will pay and when it won't. Also don't let them discharge early.

Call medicare and also have them explain it, they are govt workers and if you get a good one they will tell exactly what not to do since they are not in it for profit.

I was lucky my SIL is a lawyer and kept track of all the time date and everything to keep her in status to be paid for.

Also, hopefully it does not come to this but understand hospice vs rehab.

OP if you plan to call Medicare, remember that if the government shuts down there might not be anyone to whom you can ask questions. So if you have any call before tomorrow COB.

Every state has a SHIP (state health insurance program) that is contracted to answer Medicare questions so they may still be open during a shutdown.

[Anonymous]

I am very sorry, OP. And best wishes for your mother's recovery. Being in rehab will help. A neurologist can give you a sense of what the recovery path may be like for her. It can be very discontinuous.

FWIW I had a brain injury when I was young. I looked fine, could talk pretty well but had press of speech if tired or stressed. However my reading comprehension was nil for 3 months. I could read you the words but not know the meaning. I could not write. Then suddenly after 3 months bam! I could read! I could write by hand but it was hard to make my thoughts come out my hand. This was before personsl computers or word processors...those really saved my professional career. After about 2 years...just about when my neurologist said my recovery would plateau...my handwriting looked like mine again.
The relevance?
It can be long process.
Things can improve in fits and starts.
Therapists can help with assistive devices, memory aids, speech work. I had those for 6 months.
At the 2 year mark I was in grad school, which I deferred after the injury. I got an SM from MIT and have a good life. It didn't look promising to me right after the injury but I believed my neurologist that I had to be patient.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if you are still reading, but I heard the 3 day hospitalization rule for Medicare was lifted -- if she lost skills they should pay for her to regain them. If she is military she can get longer rehab through Tricare for Life.

Big thing now is picking the rehab place! Do not let the hospital social worker pick! There are good and bad places. I recommend Arleigh Burke in their Medicare paid section because they only have private rooms (so they are 100% Medicare paid) or Goodwin House. But you want to pick someplace close to you and that is well reviewed.

[Anonymous]

Adding on that the Medicare rehab part of Arleigh Burke does not require military service as far as I know anymore. They are easing up the requirements there and I think it's only for independent living now.

[Anonymous]

No advice on navigating the system, but I just wanted to say that a good recovery is very possible, although (as in the case of my father) it can take a long time. Rehab is crucial, whether in a center or through therapists. I am sorry that you are going through this.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all! OP here checking in. My
Mom is still in the hospital and will be through the weekend/Monday as her case has turned out to be more complicated by an underlying staph infection. I met with the case management worker today and thanks to you all, was able to confirm she is Medicare rehab eligible and she complimented me for doing my homework. Her current doctors are great, thank God we aren’t with the first one any more! She has a slew of different specialists now. I took the kids to see her and she was able to tell them she loves them today. We have hope!

[Anonymous]

Don't give up hope and be sure she knows there is hope. Depression impedes recovery.

[Anonymous]

What a great update OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all! OP here checking in. My
Mom is still in the hospital and will be through the weekend/Monday as her case has turned out to be more complicated by an underlying staph infection. I met with the case management worker today and thanks to you all, was able to confirm she is Medicare rehab eligible and she complimented me for doing my homework. Her current doctors are great, thank God we aren’t with the first one any more! She has a slew of different specialists now. I took the kids to see her and she was able to tell them she loves them today. We have hope!

So glad to hear all of this! Figuring out what rehab you want her to go to, and what's going to happen with her home in the short term, are your next steps. I hope they figure out the staph infection soon.