Balancing Act

Hello Everyone,

I've posted about this over the years and now it's time to implement a schedule for breaks, vacations, and time-a-way.

My options are:

1) Take breaks up to 6-months at a time under the respite voucher and place mom in SNF. They are most equipped to handle most of her needs but not dementia or managing diabetes. Glucose numbers exceed 500+ after every stay and during the last stay (April-Sep 23) she contracted Covid for the first time. *Safest option may be schedule at certain intervals for 1 or 2 months at a time, twice a year. Stays longer than 3 months are NOT beneficial to me for various reasons.

2) Find/hire someone I know/trust for intermittent overnight shifts and administering meds. Two different persons I don't know one person who can perform both tasks, and not everyone likes or is skilled to administer insulin. My son can spend the night if I take weekends off. This arrangement offers no real vacation just time away for a few days here and there.

3) Hire someone (known or unknown) paid by insurance program which fluctuates with income eligibility/paying high deductible. This is considered a complicated option as it involves training, timesheets, management, rules regs. by insurance and its vendors (Deal with 3 entities). There is a state website (....gov) for posting jobs and agencies to assist with hiring information. OMG!

*Ideally occasional weekends with 2 or 3 months in SNF when weather is warm would make things easier for me. During the winter only occasional weekends or short trips are options but must be careful with COVID (not to contract and spread). 100% out of pocket is not a consideration must utilize services available with little to no out-of-pocket expense for the plan to be helpful.

Any thoughts...it's a plan to schedule more breaks for my well-being.