| Healthcare, it's a very popular topic these days | | | | take for granted. After everything heals the |
| especially with the "graying of America," one of | | | | person more than likely will be back to fully |
| the deepest recessions we've experienced in 25 | | | | functioning. |
| years, and people losing their jobs and the health | | | | A physical impairment can also be chronic such as |
| coverage that often comes with employment. | | | | a stroke and/or Parkinson's Disease. These |
| President Obama used his intention to reform the | | | | conditions might require the person to have |
| healthcare system and get coverage for more | | | | custodial care as mentioned above, which is |
| people as one of the key issues to catapult him | | | | typically performed either at home and known as |
| to victory this past November. Medicare, Medicaid, | | | | INFORMAL CARE or performed at a nursing or |
| prescription drugs, physical therapy, I could go on | | | | rehab facility where the care is provided by |
| and on,but there's not doubt it's a topic that's on | | | | nurses aides and is called FORMAL CARE since it |
| many people's minds, and also one that's very | | | | is being performed by professional caregivers. The |
| misunderstood because of the many various | | | | chronic physical impairment might also require |
| twists and turns the topic entails. While the | | | | SKILLED CARE which is care performed by |
| purpose of this article is not to sort out the topic | | | | doctors, nurses, as well as physical, occupational, |
| in it's entirety (I don't think ANY one article could | | | | and speech therapists. |
| do that), the sub-topic I wish to address is a very | | | | This is where payment for care gets to be |
| basic one. | | | | difficult. Typically health insurance will cover the |
| One thing that I've noticed in my practice is that | | | | costs of the acute condition(at least most of |
| people don't understand the basic type of | | | | them). For example, the guy in the first example |
| impairments that one might experience and the | | | | with the broken legs from a car accident, will be |
| care these impairments require that would cause | | | | covered by health insurance that will pay for his |
| them to go to the healthcare system for help. | | | | transport to the hospital, the skilled care received |
| Without understanding the basic impairments, how | | | | there, and at least up to six weeks of physical |
| they are defined, and what they entail helps | | | | therapy. If he's over 65 and on Medicare his |
| explain why there is even greater confusion, and | | | | hospital and post-hospital care will be covered for |
| even frustration whenever there is a problem at | | | | up to 100 days. |
| one of the more advanced levels in the system. | | | | When the condition is chronic is where the |
| If what follows helps to clear up healthcare at it's | | | | coverage stops and the panic, fear, and |
| most basic level for its readers, it will have done | | | | frustration set in because unless one has Long |
| its job. | | | | Term Care Insurance, or a good Disability |
| ACUTE CONDITION - Can be defined as a health | | | | Insurance policy, the coverage for the chronic |
| impairment that, if not taken care of immediately, | | | | condition must be provided personally by the |
| can lead to death or long term disability. In most | | | | patient or family and this is where financial |
| cases, an acute impairment can strike and be | | | | devastation sets in. Though some may disagree |
| completely cured such as when one gets the flu. | | | | with me, I think even if some type of universal |
| But it could strike, and even with care, leave one | | | | health coverage is passed, chronic condition care |
| permanently physically impaired like a stroke | | | | is still going to fall on the affected person and his |
| (more about this later.) When one first gets the | | | | her family, because most nursing facility stays |
| stroke it is imperative that the person gets to the | | | | currently run $200 per day and up. For the |
| hospital immediately because the quicker it's | | | | government to cover everyone for acute |
| caught, and the proper steps taken by qualified | | | | conditions AND chronic conditions too would take |
| professionals the less the long term effects. This | | | | a heck of a lot of money (meaning a HUGE |
| is what makes it an acute condition in the | | | | increase in taxes.) |
| beginning. When you hear the topic of healthcare | | | | MENTAL IMPAIRMENT - Mental impairment is the |
| being discussed in social circles and on the news, | | | | final topic of discussion today. Like a physical |
| more than likely it is financial assistance with acute | | | | impairment it can be caused by an acute |
| care that is being discussed. When we have an | | | | condition, such as a stroke. It can also be a |
| acute impairment we go to the doctor, or a | | | | strictly chronic condition that never had an |
| health clinic or hospital depending on the severity | | | | immediate care need, such as Alzheimers disease. |
| of the impairment. The treatment is paid for by | | | | If fate allows it there can be a double dose of |
| health insurance that we have either through our | | | | destruction, both physical and mental impairment, |
| employer or on our own, by Medicare if we're | | | | such as Parkinson's Disease with dementia. |
| disabled or age 65 and older, or by Medicaid if | | | | A mentally impaired person might need custodial |
| qualified by income. | | | | care, but a different type of custodial care than a |
| CHRONIC CONDITION - The next type of | | | | physically impaired person. A physically impaired |
| healthcare we're going to discuss is regarding | | | | person might have trouble performing one of the |
| people who have conditions that can be managed | | | | aforementioned ADLs, which is not necessarily so |
| but not cured. People with chronic conditions can | | | | with the mentally impaired person. A mentally |
| live somewhat normal lives, meaning they can live | | | | impaired person, in many cases, can go to the |
| in their own home, cook their meals, shop, bathe, | | | | toilet by himself, that's something he's been doing |
| drive to the store, walk etc. without any | | | | for years. It's just his short term memory that's |
| assistance. They also might be physically or | | | | shot so while he can eat by himself, two hours |
| mentally impaired. Which we'll further discuss | | | | later he will have forgotten what he ate or will not |
| below. | | | | even remember eating at all. The custodial care |
| PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT - A physical impairment | | | | required by a mentally impaired person might be |
| leaves one incapable of performing one or more | | | | to watch him, much like a child, so he doesn't |
| of the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) which are | | | | indirectly harm himself by turning on the gas to |
| 1. Eating | | | | cook and forgetting about it, or walking out the |
| 2. Dressing | | | | door into the middle of a heavily travelled |
| 3. Toileting | | | | roadway. |
| 4 Transferring | | | | As you can see the topic of healthcare is more |
| 5. Bathing | | | | involved than providing coverage for people to |
| 6. Continence | | | | get a physical, and their blood pressure |
| A physical impairment can be an acute condition | | | | prescription filled. It's even more in depth than I've |
| such as breaking both legs in an automobile | | | | covered here. Some might want to disclude out |
| accident, but once the bones are set and a cast | | | | of hand those that have chronic conditions |
| or splint put on the legs, the condition is no longer | | | | because they don't consider that to be |
| in need of immediate medical care since the | | | | "healthcare," but for the people and the families |
| malady received the proper medical attention. Until | | | | that are suffering from those conditions, they are |
| the leg heals though, the person will probably need | | | | health conditions that are very real. Since we can't |
| CUSTODIAL CARE, which is help in performing | | | | ask us taxpayers to cover everything, where we |
| everyday tasks, or one of the ADLs listed above, | | | | draw the line, and who can objectively draw that |
| tasks that most of us do ourselves and probably | | | | line? |