Saying my grandmother is a strong woman does her little justice.  She quit school before getting her diploma to stay home and help her parents on their farm.  She raised three sons practically on her own, watching two of them go off to Vietnam and burying one of them before he reached his 44th birthday.  She was the epitome of a hard worker, dedicated to her employer and often missing one of her nine grandchildren’s birthday parties or family holidays because she had been scheduled to work and, as she put it, “When they ask you to work, you work.”  That attitude resulted in her working fulltime until the age of 79, providing care for others first as a nurses aid in a nursing home, then, when her age prevented her from providing medical care, on the housekeeping staff at the same nursing home she had provided years of service to.  Thinking that retirement would cause her to “get old,” she continued working as a caregiver to the elderly until her family convinced her that it was time to enjoy her time with her family, which now included a number of great grandchildren.

Fast forward six years.  My grandmother, who celebrated her 85th birthday at the end of March, is sitting in a psychiatric ward at a local hospital, where she has been for the past ten days.  This is not how her retirement was meant to be spent.  Over the past few years, we noticed a decline in her mental health.  Wanting to make sure she received the best care we could provide, we contacted the Illinois Department of Aging, who provided little help.  We were told to go to our local senior services office, which provided little more than frustration as we were informed that she was not eligible for most programs.  Knowing this day would eventually arrive, her two living sons had purchased her home from her.  Each being self-employed, the plan that once seemed like an ideal solution fell apart as they struggled to not only cover their own mortgage payments but hers as well.   In January of this year, we began looking into assisted living facilities for her and completing paperwork for state assistance in covering the cost of her care.   With no assets to her name and an obvious need for care, one would think this woman, who spent nearly sixty years providing care for others, could easily find a new place in a safe environment to call home.  Think again.

Two weeks ago, my grandmother took a turn for the worse and was admitted to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation.  Her mental state had declined drastically.  While we waited for word on the next steps, we rest assured that the hospital had the ability to place her in a nursing home more quickly than her family could.  On the fourth day, we received a call that she had signed herself out.  Apparently, 36 hours of medication was more than enough for a physician to feel comfortable telling her she could go home, by herself, and to follow up with another doctor in the coming weeks.

My grandmother is a stubborn and proud, but lovable, woman.  She refused to let anyone stay with her, despite our concern about her safety.  We stopped by to make sure she was taking her medication and were as involved as she would let us be in her care.  We celebrated her 85th birthday the day after her discharge.  Unfortunately, five short days later, she ended up back at the hospital, with the very same concerns that landed her there in the first place.  As we hoped for a better outcome, we were told that the hospital would try to place her in a nursing home, but her public aid paperwork, which had been completed nearly twelve weeks ago, had yet to be approved.  The problem is that Grandma makes too much.  Yes, the $1100 she receives a month in social security, the money she uses to buy food, pay her utilities, and live, puts her over the income limits for assistance.  Nursing homes are hesitant to accept a patient who has dementia, let alone a patient whose aid status is still pending. 

So here we are, ten days have gone by and my grandmother still sits in the psychiatric ward at the hospital, surrounded by others who are also dealing with mental illness and those who have committed harm to themselves.  The only harm my grandmother has apparently ever brought upon herself is choosing to retire at the age of 79 and live off of her social security, which places her in the “middle class” according to state aid standards.  Our calls to the Illinois Department of Human Services go unanswered, those who we do speak to tell us we completed the wrong form but no one can seem to tell us which form is the right one, we are screaming for help but no one is listening. 

In a statement released October 5, 2010, Governor Quinn said, ““We must continue to do everything we can to make sure older adults get the best care and treatment possible in safe, high-quality facilities,” said Governor Quinn. “It’s so important that we take care of our most vulnerable residents and help keep them safe.”

At the age of 85, I consider my grandmother an older adult.  I consider her vulnerable in her current state.  Those who know her would all agree that she deserves the “best care and treatment possible,” yet the bureaucracy involved in getting her that care is beyond flawed. 

I am certain we are not alone in this battle and hope something can be done to make sure our loved ones, those, like my grandmother, who worked tirelessly for so many years to aid others, can receive the care they need and deserve.  The “system” is not only failing, but it is a complete slap in the face to our elderly and those who care for them.

Governor Quinn announced today a plan to put billions of dollars towards construction and manufacturing products in Illinois to keep people employed in our state.  Ironic considering one employee who works at the Department of Human Services told us “the state is broke.”  I have to go back to my Grandmother’s wise words—“When they ask you to work, you work.”  This is us asking you to work, Governor Quinn.  Work for the aging, work for the elderly who so desperately need assistance, work for the people you represent, work for those like my grandmother who spent their entire lives working for others, which clearly is a foreign concept to the Illinois government.