Talked to His family; then to Gary a minute ago. He is in a nursing home/rehab center. He says it's awful....bugs...filth...bad staff. That's a typical nursing home from my experience. Last week he couldn't get out of bed. This morning, he walked 150 feet. If he can do that tomorrow, he intends to walk out of the place on Friday. It's the same home he took his daughter out of years ago because of inadequate care.

I've been an advocate for Nursing Home Reform for many years, and I know what Gary's going through. This makes me feel so useless. I just don't know what to do to help.

I will call tomorrow and let you know what's up.


Russ

thanks sooo much for the update.

That sounds terrible. Gather that place must be his only option?
Thank you for the update.

(One thing I don’t envy you guys over there, is your health system.)

Thanks for the update. I hope Gary writes some reviews of the place to the right people. Its a shame he can't have a choice to go to a new place.
Give his family our best .

It is so sad and wrong for a first class person to get such horrible treatment. I could tell stories from the mid 90s on my grandmothers treatment in a similar home. You would think things would be better 25 years later.

I hope Gary continues to get stronger and is able to dump that place. Hopefully he can get some in-home care so his progress keeps getting better. We all know Gary is a trooper. Go get em, man!!! -charley

Gary. Thinking of you from the UK. Graham UK

Best wishes to Gary. Sorry to hear all of this. I've been at enough nursing homes/assisted living to know I would never want to have to stay at one, even the so called upscale ones leave much to be desired.

Hmmmm, is anyone really "illegal"? Do you mean the prospective IMMIGRANT who has risked everything to provide a safe haven for his family, free from abject poverty, gang violence, and in many cases, an oppressive communist regime. Coming to the border and requesting asylum is perfectly legal in this country, as far as I know. So how did he suddenly become "illegal". What happened to the 'Christian Values' that implore you to help the less fortunate (feed the hungry, clothe the naked). Does that only apply if they happen to come from northern, eastern, western EUROPE?

In America, where we end up in our senior years depends a lot on the decisions we made prior to getting old. We (my wife and I), like so many others, failed to get long-term care insurance. As a consequence, during the 2+ years that my wife was in a nursing home/memory care center, I had to pay $72,000/yr (6k/mo) out of pocket. Luckily, we had the resources to do it but many (most?) seniors don't. Thus, the value of getting long-term-care insurance if you're still young enough to qualify for it. A very wise investment.

BTW, isn't Gary a veteran? The VA pays for all my medical needs and I don't even have to go to a VA facility (my age and the fact that I live more than 40 miles from the VA hospital). They have placed me with top notch upscale local medical facilities and pay 100% of the tab. I'm wondering if Gary has explored all of his VA benefits. They have changed (increased) a lot over the last few years but you need to be aggressive in seeking them out.

Sorry to bring up this "Illegal" stuff (actually, I didn't bring it up), but it really saddens me that a segment of our country has come to hate and demonize the very thing we were founded upon and cherished. Hmmm, I wonder who started that.

chas

I think many people feel sorry for their plight, but with all of the gang activity and drug dealing, they are afraid of unvetted immigrants. Requesting asylum is one thing, and the right thing, but to open the flood gates and have everyone running accross the border is a recipe for disaster.

It is a shame the world has become so evil that we cannot use the same criteria as the Ellis Island days you alluded to, and even then they were subject to quotas, etc.

Bernie, as usual I agree with you 100% in that I think what you're saying is that the immigration screening system and indeed, the entire immigration system needs a MAJOR overhaul. Yes, sadly quotas are probably a necessary part of a successful immigration system, and that's because NO country has unlimited resources to help ALL of the world's disenfranchised. Also, the burden, and it is a burden, should be shared/distributed throughout the country and not just borne by the border states. But that would be part of the re-vamping process of the immigration system.

I also applaud you for showing empathy instead of hate for these poor people and pointing out what should be obvious to most people; that for the most part, the problem is the system, not the poor people trying to navigate it. I say, whichever party you belong to, let's all push our elected officials to make immigration reform one of our highest priorities.

I'm not religious, as you know, but I do believe in the "do unto others...." philosophy.

chas