Cousin Guardianship

[IamNellieBly]

I used to post here as Nellie Bly.

Anyway I am the guardian of my 63 year old cousin. She is schizophrenic and I think she is in the beginning of dementia. She was living in elderly/disabled housing.

I live 20 miles away and don’t drive but talk with her daily.

She was telling me about her housekeeper and how the housekeeper would come and clean, etc. I believed her.

The next thing, she is getting evicted over the squalor in her apartment.

Before that happened she was hospitalized with an infected foot. She was subsequently sent to a nursing home, 2 hours away.

In the meantime, her housing complex got a grant (yes a grant) to shovel out her apartment.

All well and good .

The nursing home wants to discharge her. She is 2 hours away and I don’t know how to drive. I don’t know what’s in her apartment or even if she has a bed. Her old one had to be thrown away.

She can’t go home without services and I don’t know how to obtain services, because everything is closed.

She doesn’t even have a key to her apartment.


Anyway she can’t come to my house because my lease precludes additional tenants, I have an autistic son and a biting dog. Plus I can’t deal with a schizophrenic person.

I know once she leaves the nursing home, I have to care for her.

Can someone throw me a lifeline?

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP!

Her discharge is postponed!!!

It’s n

I'm also going to suggest speaking with her PCP. S/he should know how to access help. Or perhaps her insurance?

Good to see you, Nellie. Hope you are otherwise well.

hi stealth2

 

[quincy]

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP!

Her discharge is postponed!!!

It’s n

hi stealth2

You should still investigate resources now, in preparation for her possible release in the future.

 

[izzie02]

Is your cousin on Medicaid? Also, just from what I know personally. The nursing home can't discharge her unless she has a safe and appropriate place to discharge her to, whether that is her home or a assisted living situation, which sounds like what she needs. A social worker at the nursing home is probably the best contact.
I suspect a social worker at the nursing realized she couldn't release her to the home (she probably no longer has) and no relative is willing to take over her care so they are trying to find something appropriate....my guess.

 

[IamNellieBly]

Is your cousin on Medicaid? Also, just from what I know personally. The nursing home can't discharge her unless she has a safe and appropriate place to discharge her to, whether that is her home or a assisted living situation, which sounds like what she needs. A social worker at the nursing home is probably the best contact.
I suspect a social worker at the nursing realized she couldn't release her to the home (she probably no longer has) and no relative is willing to take over her care so they are trying to find something appropriate....my guess.

Her apartment is still available because it’s subsidized and for handicapped and elderly.

They actually got a grant to clean it out.

All she has to do is LET THE AIDES IN!

As for relatives, she has two relatives in the area, her “intellectually disabled “ brother and myself. Well, my son, but he wants no part of this.

 

[Zigner]

How are you able to effectively remain her guardian if you aren't near her?

 

[IamNellieBly]

Hello Zigner, I was appointed guardian when she became incapacitated for a Coumadin overdose a decade ago. All I had to do was sign documents. She recovered, went home and went about her life. She lives in handicapped and elderly housing in a college town where everything is in walking distance. She ate meals in a cafe where the staff just loved her. (They told me so)

I did talk to her on the phone every day. Life was fine until she got an eviction notice for extremely poor conditions in her apartment.

They held a hearing and she agreed to allow the housekeeping service in. Every day she would tell me that she let the house keeper in, even complaining that the lady expected her to help move the refrigerator!

As I found out, none of it was true. Carolyn had never been a liar. A social worker said Carolyn simply believes what she is saying.

I’m still willing to be her best friend, but this is beyond my capabilities. She probably would be better off with a less emotionally involved guardian.

How do I resign? I realize the courts are closed.

She has Medicaid and Medicare.