'Y2k and elderly
I am forwarding this post today--it was very good. -- Roleigh
|Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1999 18:27:36 -0800 (PST)
|From: Weatherman <y2kwman@yahoo.com>
|Subject: Y2kWatch: Risks to the Elderly
|To: Y2kWatch News <y2k-news@y2kwatch.com>
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Y2kWatch News - Information for Education and Preparation
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Visit y2kwatch.com January 8,1998
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I am having LASIK eye surgery tomorrow morning at 8:45am central. I
appreciate your prayers. I hope to be posting to the 2kWatch News
next week if all goes well.
---
Dear Y2k Weatherman,
My family owns and operates two nursing homes here in Texas. We are
located about 3 hours east of Dallas in a very rural part of East
Texas. About 6 weeks ago we received a letter from TDHS (Texas
Department of Human Services) concerning Y2k. The letter stated that
we, as nursing home owners, had to be able to guarantee the safety and
well being of all of our residents regardless of whatever might happen
with Y2k. If we were not able to give this guarantee then we could
possibly lose our Medicare and Medicaid certification, i.e., NO MONEY!
Over 90% of of the revenue to operate our nursing homes comes through
these agencies.
When we did a little digging and calling around, we were told that we
should have around 6 months of food and water for our residents. 6
months of food and water for 100 little old people or face no payment
from the state?! We also learned that we could possibly experience a
2 to 4 month delay in vendor from the state. ("Vendor" are payments
we receive from government agencies.)
The State is being very careful to only "suggest" and not formally
request these guidelines. Were they to publish guidelines, they would
have to give some type of reimbursement to us for the extra
provisions, etc. That is the rub, money. To declare it would cost
too much money in reimbursement funds. Therefore, they are being VERY
careful to let us know that our certification is dependent on being
able to provide health and safety for these frail elderly. But that is
all they are saying.
We called Gov. Bush's office in Austin and asked for guidance. We
were handed off to an information committee or something. The people
there told me they were working with Bush and that he was going to use
the National Guard. We have had no further communication from the
state regarding Y2k, just that one broad "cover our behinder parts"
letter.
You can't tell me "they" don't KNOW something is going on. We called
our city manager only to find out that our county has no disaster
plan; therefore, we do not qualify for any FEMA funding. However,
since our nursing homes are listed as evacuation sites for the county
because we have a generator!
After meeting with our city manager and county disaster coordinator,
we realized that water was our most critical issue. We are drilling a
well on our property just to be safe, and an electrical engineer at
our church will help us with a solar pump. We have also started
storing rice and beans (when combined they provide a complete
protein).
We bought six 20 gal. propane tanks to use with portable heaters in
our halls after reading your newsletter on propane heaters. Thanks so
much. We have are having 1000 gal. of additional propane stored at
the facility and the gas company is going to make us some fittings to
refill the smaller tanks. After talking with TDHS Region 5, we are
reasonably sure we are the only nursing home making any preparation.
We too are believers and servers of the Lord our God, for it was He
who called us to take care of His elderly. However, we are a small
family owned organization, and although we work there as a team we
certainly don't have the resources to care for 100 elderly people
unless their expenses are covered by Medicare and Medicaid as they
normally are.
Thanks for the Y2kWatch News reports. We know that is pitiful little
to say in the face of all your effort, but most importantly the Father
we both serve is "well pleased."
Signed,
Preparing for the Elderly
in East Texas
---
I spoke on the phone for about 20 minutes with the folks in east Texas
who sent me this email. This family has really been a key player in
helping alert community and county officials to the importance of Y2k.
They have made great progress by making some phone calls and
networking with other people. If you have an elderly parent or
relative who is not prepared for Y2k, you cannot depend on the
government to care for them. It is your responsiblity to help them
prepare.
Our culture has little respect for the elderly, and that is a shame.
We may be seeking the widsom from those who survived the 1930's
depression before too long.
The Y2k Weatherman
©1998 by Y2kWatch.com
==
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Are you ready for Y2k? Visit y2kwatch.com +
+ Let us prepare to serve, not just prepare to survive! +
+ Ezekiel 3:17, 1 Timothy 5:8, Romans 8:28 +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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