| Testimony by Richard L. |
Dad is dead! Mom has Parkinson’s, stage 5. She cannot talk, walk, or anything beyond crying and screaming. She is trapped in her body, some of you may understand this. I received word through the assisted living facility that my Mom and Dad had been living in for several years, Dad had died. The only reason they told me about it was because no one was paying the bills. They wanted money, did not care that Dad had died, just that they were not getting their money. This opening statement of the bills not being paid is very pertinent to this letter of praise. I hope you will continue to read even though it appears to be long, it may reference what you are going through now or need to know about the future of your parents lives and yours.
So, the bills are not being paid, the last will of Dad turned everything over to Mom. However, she cannot say or do anything to reference what she wants done or for whom she wants to be placed in charge. There is no guardian listed, no surrogate for medical purposes, or financial guardian. I had to begin to understand what the laws were. Fortunately, my mother’s lawyer was someone I knew and could ask questions of. He is no longer practicing, so could not help with all the legal requirements that become known when you begin to dig into what has to happen to take care of Mom now. By the way, I am the son, the eldest sibling.
The lawyer referred me to an organization called OurSeniors. This was a blessing and I had no idea what they were about to do for Mom and myself. As I will try to explain in as few as words as possible, which will be difficult because what they did and are still doing, OurSeniors is and was a Godsend. First thing the OurSeniors Team did was put me in contact with a law firm called Chiumento, Dwyer, Hertel and Grant. I explained the situation, they assigned a guardianship attorney to me to prepare the documents needed and obtain and emergency guardianship for Mom, and to later assist and get the permanent guardianship.
Next was investigating how Mom was, and her treatment, medical, well-being and health in general. I had no idea where to go or who to talk to as the facility she was in really did not care about anything except, you guessed it, money. This should begin to alert you to your parents’ situation, significant other, sibling, or perhaps even a spouse. I say this because you need to truly understand what your parents or loved ones are going through. In my case, I discovered things were going very badly. Mom really wanted to go into this specific assisted living facility, because Grandfather and Grandmother were also there. The place was once a paradise of an assisted living facility, but is no longer that way. It was bought out and the description of Not for Profit does not fit anymore. The OurSeniors Team went with me, and I was extremely glad they did. I was very emotional about what I saw. If they had not been there, I’m not sure how it would have gone.
After discovering what she was going through and the care she was not getting, I needed to move her, but to where. I live 1500 miles away, so I had no clue about anything there. The OurSeniors Team did and began to research and find a facility that can handle a person of her needs. Remember she cannot walk, talk, or even lift a finger. She must be fed, bathed, clothed; everything done by others, and it takes two or more people to do that at any given instance.
The OurSeniors Team located several places. We screened them and they screened mom. It takes a special place to handle stage-5 Parkinson’s. I wanted a place that was going to take care of her, not drug her. Feed her good food, bathe her, take her outside, be with her and watch over her. The OurSeniors Team found the perfect one.
Privately owned, and being semi private (only caring for two persons, which meant mom would be taken care of almost as if she was the only person there), with properly trained care nurses and medical staff that knew what they were dealing with. The OurSeniors Team reviewed the site, brought me out and I reviewed it. Then the facility reviewed/screened Mom. They accepted her.
Mom is now in the right place! I owe it to OurSeniors, and a man by the name of Julian Cantillo. Julian should be nominated for sainthood. But if I cannot do that, then the least I can do is let anyone that is in need of help for your Mom, Dad, and/or senior loved ones, Julian of OurSeniors Team is the person to go to.
