Sometimes, a little help goes a long way...

Hi guys.

I would like to introduce you to a very dear friend of mine by the name of Jeri who, for the past 10 years or so, has been afflicted with tracheal stenosis, a medical condition which makes a simple act we all take for granted, i.e. breathing, a major challenge 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Through the years, Jeri has had countless procedures performed on him, been admitted to several hospitals’ Emergencies many times and yet, despite such adversities, has remained a kind and generous individual throughout, with a wonderful sense of humor, always willing to lend a hand whenever he can to those he feels are even less fortunate than he is. One of his main goals is to bring a smile to those he is in contact with. In the seven years or so I’ve known this man, I’ve come to truly admire his resiliency and relentlessly positive attitude in circumstances that have been, to put it mildly, less than ideal for him. Jeri is a truly caring individual.

This truly caring individual has seen his mobility seriously reduced with the passing years, so much so that he has had to rely on the use of a scooter for his daily (weekly?) errands and, basically, to go from point A to point B. The scooter he presently has (the second hand-me-down that was given to him a couple years ago) is probably on its last leg and my friend needs a replacement as soon as possible: it maybe isn’t as vital as this cumbersome old portable oxygen tank he drags around, but still is a must to help him to carry out his day-to-day activities.

Jeri lives in Florida. He is 62 years old. And he has* limited* financial means. He knocked on Medicare’s door to see what they could do for him, as far as the replacement of his scooter goes. He was told that Medicare would be willing to absorb a substantial portion of the cost of the scooter** but that he had to be able to use it inside his house**… which would mean widening the door frames, installing a new access ramp, etc., which would all necessitate funds that, needless to say, my friend doesn’t have to begin with. And Jeri actually DOESN’T need a scooter to move around inside, at least for the time being.

The scooter Jeri would dream of owning costs about $4000 but I am sure he would be happy with any second-hand one, in good working condition. I’m from Canada, so I don’t have a clue as to which door(s) he should be knocking on for assistance (local social services associations, etc.).

And this is why I am turning to the Doper Community, which has proven to be more than up to numerous challenges in the past. ANY bit of information you are able to pass along to me, for me to pass along to my friend would be more than deeply appreciated.

I thank you all very much for reading this. It will have been worth it, if only because it would have introduced you to a wonderful human being and a great all-around friend.

Since this seems to just ask for advice, I’m going to move it from MPSIMS to IMHO.

Just a reminder, though, that asking for donations and handouts is something that needs to be pre-approved by the staff here.

Idle Thoughts
MPSIMS mod

Well, I wasn’t exactly asking for handouts or donation. Just a bit of advice that I could forward to my friend and thereby help him in his search for a much needed mode of transportation.

I would recommend that your friend contact his local area agency on aging. He can find it at www.[URL=“http://www.n4a.org/”]n4a.org or by googling Area Agency on Aging Florida or something similar. They can provide information on whether there are state or federal grants he can apply for that would help him make his home accessible. They could also provide him with the specs that he would need to meet for a certification of accessibility. It’s also possible that, through the AAA he could get funding for home modifications through the Older Americans Act (if you’re an Area Agency on Aging, “older” Americans = anyone over the age of 50).

He can also try his local SHIP program (I think in Florida it’s the SHINE program). They’re a public agency that provides help to older individuals and people with disabilities primarily for health insurance, but they may also be able to point him in the right direction. Also, he could look up local sources of assistance through HUD, various churches or local government or private resources.

It sounds as though your friend is considered disabled, correct? Generally Medicare only provides benefits to people under 65 if they have a disability, ESRD or ALS. So I’m guessing he’s collecting SSDI, right?

OV, thank you so much. It’s the kind of info I am looking for. I have passed the information along to Jeri. And, yes, as far as I know, he is considered disabled.

Keep it coming, Dopers. Can never get enough of a good thing.:slight_smile:

Does he have any military service in his background? If so, he maybe eligible for VA benefits.

I don’t know, Sylver… but I’ll ask. Thanks for the input.

My one and only bump… in case any of you missed it:)

And thank you