I was dejected after the experience with Tom the Medicaid power chair vendor. I wondered why he had acted that way. How did he think I would use the loaner chair he brought? We had been working together since August and it was November 2015. I thought they were trying to push me so they could supply a power chair before the end of 2015. Now I knew that would not happen.
I wondered how many other nursing home residents had dealt with the situation. I knew there was another resident at my nursing home who got a power chair in late 2014. He had difficulty moving a manual wheelchair on his own. I thought it was because of neurological or cognitive problems. Somehow, someone thought he would be able to use a power chair. I knew that particular resident wanted one. Unfortunately, after he got it. He had difficulty controlling it. One day he accidentally knocked the drinking fountain off the wall. He had had some other close calls and the chair was taken away from him. It was deemed by the nursing home to be too dangerous. He was put back into his manual chair.I was dejected after the experience with Tom the Medicaid power chair vendor. I wondered why he had acted that way. How did he think I would use the loaner chair he brought? We had been working together since August and it was November 2015. I thought they were trying to push me so they could supply a power chair before the end of 2015. Now I knew that would not happen.
I wondered how many other nursing home residents had dealt with the situation. I knew there was another resident at my nursing home who got a power chair in late 2014. He had difficulty moving a manual wheelchair on his own. I thought it was because of neurological or cognitive problems. Somehow, someone thought he would be able to use a power chair. I knew that particular resident wanted one. Unfortunately, after he got it. He had difficulty controlling it. One day he accidentally knocked the drinking fountain off the wall. He had had some other close calls and the chair was taken away from him. It was deemed by the nursing home to be too dangerous. He was put back into his manual chair.
At a care conference in December 2015 I asked about talking to another vendor/supplier of Medicaid purchased power chairs. The nurse manager told me that I would have to wait until 2016. I felt like a child who was being punished for doing something wrong.
I wished there were some Medicaid entity that I could write to or complain to. I felt the whole thing was not done the way it should have been. All I could hope for was that I would meet a better vendor and have a different experience.
I kept asking about the new power chair. I would mention it to the occupational therapist when I saw her. It just kept hoping someone would find another vendor.
In March I was told that another vendor would come to see me about a new power chair. I met the vendor I'll call Frank in March. He had another man with him I'll call David. But David hardly said anything. I wondered what he was doing there. I guess I should've asked more questions.
Frank asked me what kind of chair I wanted. I told him I wanted the same brand as the chair I already had. He told me due to a government sanction that chair was not being sold in the US. He gave me two other manufacturers. Since I knew virtually nothing about either one, I asked him to recommend one. Was that a mistake? I didn't think so then but later on I realized it might have been.
He picked a manufacturer. He told me he thought I could get the new chair fairly soon. I was kind of surprised because in 2008 it took me eight months or more from the time the occupational therapist did the prescription ordering the chair until it was delivered to the nursing home. But Frank said that would not happen again.
Again, I asked Frank how he would adapt the new chair. This time I actually knew what that brand of power chair looked like. I had seen YouTube videos of it. But those were showing how quickly it would go on rough terrain. I did not want to be a speed demon. I just wanted to be able to get a new power chair that would run well and handle easily with the joystick.
He assured me I would love the chair. I questioned his blanket statement. I asked how it would be set up and he said he could not tell me that. I thought if he could not tell me who could. I showed him my old chair and suggested it be set up similarly. He said he didn't think it could be because it was from a different manufacturer. That's when I thought he was not listening.
I told him I was leery of a loner chair and he did not even suggest it. I also thought the chair was being ordered too quickly. I was afraid if they did not put enough thought into the joystick set up before they ordered it, I might end up with a power chair that I could not use.
Instead of the occupational therapist filling out the prescription order for the power chair, David (the guy with the vendor) did it. I thought this was peculiar. But apparently that's the way Medicaid does it now. I just thought it would have been better if the nursing home's occupational therapist would have made suggestions. She had seen me use the old chair. She also knew my functional limitations. I even asked her if she would make suggestions. She told me it was not her place.
I had an email dialogue with Frank all along. I wanted to make sure that we kept up communication. I never did have David's email. I always thought that was a mistake.
While my head was still a blur with so many unanswered questions, I was told the chair would be delivered in two weeks.
At a care conference in December 2015 I asked about talking to another vendor/supplier of Medicaid purchased power chairs. The nurse manager told me that I would have to wait until 2016. I felt like a child who was being punished for doing something wrong.
I wished there were some Medicaid entity that I could write to or complain to. I felt the whole thing was not done the way it should have been. All I could hope for was that I would meet a better vendor and have a different experience.
I kept asking about the new power chair. I would mention it to the occupational therapist when I saw her. It just kept hoping someone would find another vendor.
In March I was told that another vendor would come to see me about a new power chair. I met the vendor I'll call Frank in March. He had another man with him I'll call David. But David hardly said anything. I wondered what he was doing there. I guess I should've asked more questions.
Frank asked me what kind of chair I wanted. I told him I wanted the same brand as the chair I already had. He told me due to a government sanction that chair was not being sold in the US. He gave me two other manufacturers. Since I knew virtually nothing about either one, I asked him to recommend one. Was that a mistake? I didn't think so then but later on I realized it might have been.
He picked a manufacturer. He told me he thought I could get the new chair fairly soon. I was kind of surprised because in 2008 it took me eight months or more from the time the occupational therapist did the prescription ordering the chair until it was delivered to the nursing home. But Frank said that would not happen again.
Again, I asked Frank how he would adapt the new chair. This time I actually knew what that brand of power chair looked like. I had seen YouTube videos of it. But those were showing how quickly it would go on rough terrain. I did not want to be a speed demon. I just wanted to be able to get a new power chair that would run well and handle easily with the joystick.
He assured me I would love the chair. I questioned his blanket statement. I asked how it would be set up and he said he could not tell me that. I thought if he could not tell me who could. I showed him my old chair and suggested it be set up similarly. He said he didn't think it could be because it was from a different manufacturer. That's when I thought he was not listening.
I told him I was leery of a loner chair and he did not even suggest it. I also thought the chair was being ordered too quickly. I was afraid if they did not put enough thought into the joystick set up before they ordered it, I might end up with a power chair that I could not use.
Instead of the occupational therapist filling out the prescription order for the power chair, David (the guy with the vendor) did it. I thought this was peculiar. But apparently that's the way Medicaid does it now. I just thought it would have been better if the nursing home's occupational therapist would have made suggestions. She had seen me use the old chair. She also knew my functional limitations. I even asked her if she would make suggestions. She told me it was not her place.
I had an email dialogue with Frank all along. I wanted to make sure that we kept up communication. I never did have David's email. I always thought that was a mistake.
While my head was still a blur with so many unanswered questions, I was told the chair would be delivered in two weeks.
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