The Arc of Indiana asked people to share their “Medicaid story” so others
can understand the importance of the program. A friend of The Arc of Wabash County,
Joan Joyce, wrote in to share her and her son Patrick’s Medicaid story. Patrick works
five days a week at The Arc of Wabash County and lives in our residential housing.
“I have always been an Indiana resident and am 91 years old. My 69-year-old son was brain-damaged at birth and is developmentally disabled. He has always lived with me and attended Special Ed classes until the age of 16 at which time he entered the Marshall/Starke Development Center workshop program in Plymouth in 1970. While participating in this program, he was admitted into the Medicaid system for the first time in 2006.
Our family moved to Wabash County in 2008, and it was a seamless transition when he transferred to The Arc of Wabash County workshop program which he still attends. Routine conferences have always been held throughout each year involving my son, the staff, his waiver case manager, and myself to make sure that his health and work needs are being met, and any questions or concerns are addressed. When I was 88, the subject of respite care was brought up. His waiver case manager informed me that a Medicaid Waiver was available, because of my age, to meet my need for occasional respite care.
This waiver made it possible for a familiar and trained Arc employee to come into our home and stay overnight with my son if I needed to be gone. This was greatly appreciated and used on a few occasions.
When I was 90, the subject of my son's care after I was no longer living was brought up by his case manager. She strongly suggested I consider moving him into one of their Wabash County residential homes with providers who knew him. I had known that homes for clients were available on a limited basis but had been reluctant through the years to research the possibility. However, their concern, as well as my own during Covid, brought about my more serious look into their program. I was very fortunate to find a home that I thought would work, and my son moved into his new home in the summer of 2022 at the age of 68. The staffing has been excellent and not only his health but his enjoyment needs are being met. I am more thankful every day that he is under someone else's care.
These are programs that are supported by Medicaid for which I am very grateful. All staff in all situations have been excellent, efficient, patient, kind, and caring. I only wish their pay was commensurate with the time, talent, and loving care that they give to their clients. They are angels on earth.”
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