Medicaid NJ senior with COPD on disability needs new air conditioner. Is there any financial assistance since this is a medical necessity?
The cost should be about $6,000. She has anxiety and depression and a caregiver for 18 hours per week. She absolutely needs the air conditioner, but has no funds to pay for it. Thank you for any recommendations.
My central air unit was less than half that a couple of years ago 🤔, but if that's a true cost estimate then I agree with JoAnn's advice to look into a window unit or two.
Call your County Disabilities Department. See if there is some kind of program. Even try your electric company.
Sounds like she wants a house unit? Maybe some window air conditioners placed correctly would help. We did this for years. Lets say she lives in a Rancher. There's a Window at the end of the house in the living room. A 10,000 BTU can take care of the living room and up the hall. A ceiling fan in the kitchen helps to circulate the air. Same with in the living area. Then a smaller one 5 BTU is used in the bedroom. An attic fan helps to keep that hot air out of the attic and upper rooms. Just having a reg fan in the rooms, helps to circulate that cool air. Temps can be kept higher so use less electricity.
Is there still any credit card at the elder's disposal? Because I would use that and then kind of "hang" the bills. There is no way to "collect" on a senior's disability or social security payments, so the bills can just pile when you are dealing with a medical necessity.
The only other suggestion I have is the use of a single room conditioner in a window--the room most used by the senior. This would provide safe haven and be less costly.
We are now still, in NJ where the senior is living, not in need of air conditioning; is there any chance of putting away down payment enough to have it installed in the three months time?
I would, lastly, discuss with the medicaid worker. Sorry to hear you are facing this down.
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Sounds like she wants a house unit? Maybe some window air conditioners placed correctly would help. We did this for years. Lets say she lives in a Rancher. There's a Window at the end of the house in the living room. A 10,000 BTU can take care of the living room and up the hall. A ceiling fan in the kitchen helps to circulate the air. Same with in the living area. Then a smaller one 5 BTU is used in the bedroom. An attic fan helps to keep that hot air out of the attic and upper rooms. Just having a reg fan in the rooms, helps to circulate that cool air. Temps can be kept higher so use less electricity.
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https://www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/MediCool_flier_2015_web.pdf
The only other suggestion I have is the use of a single room conditioner in a window--the room most used by the senior. This would provide safe haven and be less costly.
We are now still, in NJ where the senior is living, not in need of air conditioning; is there any chance of putting away down payment enough to have it installed in the three months time?
I would, lastly, discuss with the medicaid worker.
Sorry to hear you are facing this down.