Living Alone With Pet When an Emergency Happens (acquaintance, diabetes, 14 year old)
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Update. Dog is doing good. Good neighbor is social extrovert and has taken to roaming the neighborhood with the dog chatting people up. Says one neighbor volunteered an interest in taking her in so good neighbor might be able and willing to help her find a new home should it become necessary.
Good neighbor and I went to the hospital for a visit this morning. She is doing better but will need to stay at least one more night. We weren’t there 5 minutes when case manager/social worker showed up. (We would later learn that first responders noted concern about her living conditions in their report and that the ER doctor had ordered the involvement of the social worker). We waited in the hall while social worker spoke to her. When she came out we spent quite a bit of time with her giving her our perspective. From what I could tell the doctor’s order will mean any services she can get will be expedited. She told us our neighbor would be released but that people would be out to check out her living conditions fairly soon.
Strange development with niece. It was the niece after my phone call with her who requested I send photos. I know for a fact the niece discussed these photos with her and only after that discussion did she start telling everyone how overburdened the niece is with her own life problems. I think she is now afraid of the niece as she had her removed as a contact from the hospital and was adamant that nobody was to contact her. Good neighbor is her only listed contact now. But she is in the system and on other people’s radar and Good neighbor and I don’t feel like we are the ones who ratted her out.
Good! There are services for her living conditions too. To improve them.
APS doesn't know about them all though. It's a matter of calling one place and getting their referrals and then another and another. Which is unfortunate for someone who has no one to call for them.
Early in this thread the OP mentioned that she was in the hospital for observation. When a hospital says someone is in for observation, not actually admitted, they are billed under Part B, often very large amounts. And they do not get post hospital services.
This is a new Medicare policy and someone needs to get the hospital to actually admit her ASAP so this doesn't happen to her.
Great points.
Before I was on Medicare I was once in the hospital for four days "under observation". I had no idea that I was not admitted until my doctor told me that it was time to leave and I didn't have a "formal discharge" because I was never actually admitted to the hospital.
Occupational therapy will come however many hours the Dr. says to. I just talked to Medicare about this the other day.
I know that on the website, cleaning is mentioned but I never was able to get that for my brother. My sister was the home health company and said they cleaned and did laundry as a favor to him, or to her I guess, but they were not supposed to. So I don't know who is!
Occupational therapy helps the person do things that are hard for them. But all of this has to start with a DR. ordering it. That is why I like to make things happen when someone is in the hospital or rehab with an attending Dr. and a social worker.
After they leave it's going here and there to get that arranged.
I know exactly what OT and PT is. We have had awful experience with Medicare-provided home health - OT and PT. And the nurse that was supposed to come once a week. They were constantly calling and switching the schedule and often just cancelled. I have had zero experience with Medicaid-provided services, but the insurance really doesn't matter - the companies that provide are all the same. The company my mom keeps getting is Sentara Home Health and they are horrible. I wish I had known this as I would have made sure that she was given another company. You can actually do a search for these companies and choose the one that you want.
Services like laundry and daily living activities can also be provided, IF ordered, and are also short term.
It's not just the 'elderly'. Overactive bladder and extreme loss of bladder control happens to women in their 60's, 70's, and 80's onward, sometimes 50's - due to the natural dropping/falling of the pelvic floor, and for some, due to past pregnancies. Overactive bladder and extreme loss of bladder control is quite common - and not just among the 'elderly'.
Lots of people are not aware that this has happened to people they know or women, in general.
Obviously it can happen to others. That is outside the context of this thread, however.
If the dog is 14 years old and the owner has not made any emergency plans for him, then the dog's outlook is not good if the owner is taken to a hospital or other facility. They would probably take the dog to a shelter or pound; and his life would depend on how many days the place allows unclaimed dogs to live. Perhaps the owner can be persuaded to work with a rescue group or relative or friend to take the dog (and notification be arranged) if the owner cannot care for him? I feel bad for both the owner and the dog.
This is why it is SO important when you get a dog to adopt a rescue and do it from an established rescue group. For both of my rescues, I signed a contract that they must NEVER go to a shelter and should be returned to the rescue if I ever could not provide for them. I, fortunately, have contingency plans for my dogs, but for someone who has no one, this would give them a backup plan. Reputable breeders require similar contracts for purebreds.
The first responders would probably call the city animal control folks and tell them of the situation
They would probably take in the animal and hold it for a while. Maybe board it and wait for family to reclaim.
Give them a call and see what they would do in this situation.
I don't think animal control does this sort of thing. They have limited funds and their hands are full. If they took the dog, it would be teh regular thing...which where I am means they'd put it down in 3 days.
I'd post online in a neighborhood or city group that the dog needs rehoming, and state his advanced age & any medical conditions. It's possible a rescue org. would take him, if an individual doesn't.
Other than that, I would consider having him euthanized by a vet, since he's 14 and doesn't have much longer to go. Cruel? There are worse things. I know of a woman who was hospitalized in an emergency and kept there for a while. Her dogs died (I guess of starvation?) at her apartment. I guess she wasn't close enough to anyone, so they'd know she had dogs at home. I don't know what kind of dogs she had or their ages, to know if there was a chance someone would take them.
This is something to consider as I grow old. When it's time not to have pets any more, and what emergency situation I can line up for them, before then. I have relatives locally (how dependable they are, I'm not sure), but they'd certainly take my pets to a kennel for me. I want to move, though. So what I do in the new city, I'm not sure.
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