I guess you think you would know all about where I am from, right?

Think you can tell me all about all the people who failed and are drug addicts and gone to jail and baby makers huh?


Hehe....you've been watching a lil' too much of The Wire if you think you are an expert to tell me about MY life and where I am from.

You think you are so right, read Job.

Lot of people don't survive falls like that.

Must be of some comfort to you to have that keyboard and a monitor separating us, eh?


Go find somewhere else to play, I'm not in the mood to take up anymore time with people's grown up stupid assed cowardly children.

My old town opens its doors to KY residents
 

http://parispi.net/articles/2009/01/...c242233072.txt


eta - Greek connection - Murray State University is now closed.

It makes it especially heartbreaking to me to know he had the money. ETA: I'm not sure why knowing that it was simply his mental faculties slipping is sadder to me, but it is. This was so preventable on so many different levels.

There's no way that it's the power companies fault in my mind since they aren't in the social services business and it would be inappropriate to expect them to come to people's homes to collect bills every month. Someone should have helped this guy if not the nephew, someone in the community.

If it turns out he really did have 600,000 in savings and the nephew gets it. . . .argh.

Wow that's a twist. This story has really stuck with me.

Poor guy. :(

During our State of the State address last night, Governor Jennifer Granholm announced that there was a moratorium on cutting off heat/electricity to all Michigan residents for the utility companies that the state regulates. She also asked the other utility companies (including the one that this guy had) who are not regulated by the state to follow the same guidelines. She said she was horrified when she heard about this guy.

One thing that could help is trying to get to know your neighbors, esp. if they are elderly. And another thing that people don't like to use or regularly know about is calling APS (Adult Protective Services) for cases such as this poor gentleman's.
I try to know all of my neighbors around where we live so in case I don't see them leaving their houses for a while, I will just pull on up and check in on them.
I know in today's world it's hard to get to know some folks because some people are just out to make a quick buck from whomever and they don't care who they will hurt in the process. But sometimes, you just gotta get out there and check on Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

By providing a public service, utility companies--both public and private--are, in a way, "in the social services business." It's not as if they're preventing credit cards from cutting off charging privileges to people who can't pay! It's not good public policy to cut off power during the winter in Michigan to 93-year olds. Apparently, the state utilities feel the same way; many private utilities have something in place already.

I'm glad the money went to the hospital and not the guy's sorry ass nephew.

I'm in Kansas and as far as I can remember (been here since 1998) our state has a "cold weather rule'...

The Cold Weather Rule generally prohibits any disconnection of service when the local National Weather Service forecasts that the temperature will drop below 35 degrees or will be in the mid-30s or colder within the following 48 hours.
http://www.westarenergy.com/corp_com...weather%20rule

It looks like during these month, they also have special payment options as well.

Although in general, I don't think states should FORCE companies to do this, but companies should be flexible with those that need it. No one wants to hear stories like this.

On another note - check on the elderly during the winter!! :)

I too am glad it went to the hospital.

I'm not pro cutting off old people in the middle of winter, but I don't think the power company is the one with the responsibility of figuring out how a mentally impaired old guy is supposed to pay his bills if he is basically putting money in envelopes but can't get the bills in the mail or to the office.

I think that someone should do this for the old guy or someone should ensure he is living in a facility that provides working heat if he's not competent to provide it for himself.

But I don't think the power company has the responsibility to do actually collect bills from the mentally impaired every month.

Even if we decide that it's in the public interest to do this, it would make more sense to provide one set of helpers as opposed to each utility having their own help-the-elderly-pay their bills staff.

There actually already is something like this in most states. It's usually done through the Department of Aging in every state.

The thing is that the person has to be referred to DADS (as it's called in Texas) and from there, the person will be referred to a Home Health Agency.

The issue becomes who becomes that person that referrs this person. What most people don't know is that anyone can refer and elderly person for this service. It doesn't have to involve APS, it can be a referral even from the person themselves.

The problem becomes that some elderly don't feel that they need this service because they feel that they will have to give up their independence and they have become "elderly." Another problem is that some aged patients (particularly men and WWII vets) came from a time in society where taking "aide" is seen as a disgrace. It's seen as being "poor" and that isn't something that they want to be seen as, even if they have the need.

Another issue becomes the financial issue. Some of these services are based on Medicaid status. Medicaid status is based on income. If they make so much over the Medicaid statues, then they don't actually qualify for the services. It doesn't matter if it's a $1.00 over or $0.50 over, if it's over, it's over. Some people don't see the "need" they only see the black and white of it. Yes they block the person from being able to get the services that they need, but in essence, they will tell you there is "nothing we can do."

Another issue is that if the person is qualified and gets the o.k. for the Home Health Services from Medicaid, then their personal physician may not approve the services for them. Yes, in order for the Home Health Agency to provide ANY care, their primary physician has to approve and write a doctor's order. If they choose NOT to write an order, then the person is further delayed from attaining the service that the NEED.

Another issue becomes the Home Health Agency and DADS rules and regulations themselves. If the person (who actually comes into the home and provides certain services, i.e. bathing, toileting, grooming, shopping, escort, ect) there are certain things that CAN and CANNOT do. This is in order to PROTECT both the client and the Primary Home Care Aide/Attendant. Handling ANY TYPE OF MONEY/PAYMENTS is one of them, sadly. A lot of Home Health Agencies WILL NOT allow a PHC Aide to handle any of the client's money--EVER! Whether it's in an envelope, in a money order, in a cashier's check, in whatever with duct tape, super glue, or gorilla glue. The AGENCY will not allow the PHC Aide/Home Health Aide to handle that envelope. It's just a matter of protection for both parties involved.

This is something that when I was working in the home health industry as a PHC Supervisor, I have seen before--and believe me, it can get ugly.
Like I said, although the services are available, there can be many barriers to the services themselves for the elderly/aged/Alzheimer patient.

And for this, "But I don't think the power company has the responsibility to do actually collect bills from the mentally impaired every month." specifically, the problem is that in many cases, there may be a payee that the mentally impaired person has. Either that payee isn't acting right, or the person has enough cognitive reasoning to be able to decide what they want to do with their money.