A child’s sad death in a Florida nursing home

[KamaAina]

http://www.miamiherald.com/incoming/article1944471.html

For 14 years, Doris Freyre cared for her profoundly disabled daughter in her modest Tampa home, pureeing fresh fruit, yams and vegetables and surrounding the girl with family photos and pictures of angels.

Marie Freyre died in the care of a $506-per-day nursing home — sobbing, shaking and screaming for her real home....

When Marie struggled to breathe in the two hours before she died, no one at the nursing home called a doctor....

Marie’s death stands as a bitter reminder of a dog fight between state health regulators and federal civil rights lawyers, who have accused the state of warehousing sick and disabled children as virtual potted plants. The U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights division has threatened to sue the state if it does not take steps to care for sick children outside of large institutions.

She couldn't breathe, either.

[Mnemosyne]

1. ...

[Beaverhausen]

2. $506 a day could pay for wonderful home care nurses

My husband is a home care nurse who specializes in caring for ventilator-dependent people.

This situation in Florida is beyond fucked up.

editing to add - I noticed this story is 2 years old and looked for something newer.

Looks like things haven't gotten any better

http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight-blog/2014/3/19/florida-childrenagravytrainfornursinghomes.html

[jwirr]

3. They should be able to sue the state - there are laws and programs that have been used in most

states to close these types of institutions down and provide community based care. Many of the states were sued before they complied. Also it should be pointed out that community based care is more economical that the institutions. Plus isn't it illegal to refuse health care to a patient?

Edit to say that years ago I worked to help get community based care into Florida and it was made very clear that Florida's priority was seniors not disabled clients. At that time the snowbirds all flocked down there and were in need of services. Forget the other citizens of the state.

[malokvale77]

4. It's not just Florida

The State of Texas just awarded a contract to manage Terrell State Hospital to the same company that has allowed so many deaths in their private prisons.

[jwirr]

5. Are these two states even states in the USA? Doesn't seem like it.

[malokvale77]

7. Barely

Both states are run by the Bush's

[mercuryblues]

6. florida

pays nursing homes $506 a day to basically warehouse these kids. Think how much money the state would save if they paid the parents $253 a day to provide care. But then again the parents wouldn't donate the money to the politicians.

[jwirr]

8. And unless things have changed a hell of a lot since I was taking care of my own child from 1958 to

2003 they would not pay a parent one red cent to take care of their own child. I once figured out what welfare paid us a month - $.33 an hour. You see they figured it was our child and we should never be given tax money to take care of our own child. Even when it would cost the state a fortune to do it for us.

This is why I never earned enough to get much social security. While taking care of her the jobs I worked (with the exception of a year at the social services department) were all part time low income jobs. Either they did not count or they did not make enough money to count.

I suspect they are still doing the same thing to other parents.

In the meantime the state is now paying the foster parents $3000 a month. In this case they have to because I am no longer able to take care of her.

[mercuryblues]

10. I wish

my tax dollars would go for this instead of bombs. Hugs to you for doing all you could with limited resources.

[jwirr]

11. Thank you. I have no real regrets and would do it over.

[AtomicKitten]

9. Heartbreaking.

"warehousing"....

[Lolita46]

12. Dear God

That is heartbreaking!