Dad has cancer and needs help. Is there free help? Does that exist? I need hospital bed? Are there charities? Where do I find. So sorry asking so many questions.

More info from your profile:

"I am caring for my father...who is 82 years old, living at home with cancer, diabetes, hearing loss, heart disease, incontinence, lung disease, and vision problems."

Is he bedbound or profoundly ill? Medicaid covers LTC as assessed by his doctor and qualifies financially.

Or, is he not thriving? Terminal? Then maybe hospice, covered by Medicare.
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hospice-care

You can also talk to social services for his county to see if he qualifies for any in-home services.

Does your Dad have a PoA assigned? Or Medical Representative?

If your dad has Medicare or insurance through work, a doctor's prescription for a hospital bed. If your dad is physically incapacitated, Hospice should be contacted, and they'll ask the questions after introductions. Hospice can offer you the direction you're looking for regarding 'Help'.

Dear Boxergirl, back in 2018, My dad was also dying of Cancer, and my mother and I took care of him at home.. under a non-profit hospice care titled "Sacred Heart".. Not sure what you may have in your area, but you can look it up online.

Nurses came three times a week to wash and shave him.. And mom and I changed his urine pads and underwear in bed the nights they didn't come. They showed us how. I recommend a good non-profit at home hospice care for him. I will keep you, your Dad and family in my prayers!

We are just caregivers. We cannot know your father's situation, his needs, his insurance. We can only give you general information. Please ask his doctor for a referral for social services.

I can tell you that if a hospital bed is already needed you may be looking at Hospice end of life care. If that is so you will have a great deal of help in that a social worker is provided and much hospital equipment.

Dependent on all the "details" of your father's care, and where you live, what his insurance is, there will be many and varied answers. Start with his medical team for referrals to places to check. Also contact your local Council on Aging and Department of Human Services.

I think we need a bit more info before we start giving opinions. It looks like Dad is 82. What state is he in, does he have a legal partner, Does he have Medicare and if so, is it traditional or Medicare Advantage? Does he have and see a primary care physician. Where is he currently? If he is in a hospital now, grab the social worker who will be able to answer a lot of your questions and point you in the right direction: depending on his discharge diagnosis it is possible the hospital might be able to order a hospital bed. If he is home, contact your local Office on Aging and explain your situation; they can connect you with great resources. Depending on his financial status, Dad may need Medicaid which sometimes covers a lot of things but is administered differently in each state. The Office on Aging can direct you to Medicaid, if that is necessary.

Your profile indicates that Dad has a cancer Diagnosis. Please get in touch with your local chapter of the American Cancer Association. They are absolutely wonderful.

Also, if not already done, if Dad is competent, please get all Dad's important documents done (Will, power of attorney, advanced directives) completed and stored safely.
Wishing you luck but please get back to us with more info.

You should talk to the Social Worker at the hospital Dad goes to for his Chemo. I hope he has a supplemental to pay the 20% that Medicare doesn't pay. Maybe Dad fits Medicaid criteria. Some hospitals have a charity that will pay what insurance won't Hospital beds can be gotten thru Medicare with an order from a dr.

https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/

Go to this site and click on home health services, then input your zip and the various companies will come up. These services are a benefit of the Medicare insurance for original Medicare. Not sure about advantage plans. There should be a number on dads insurance card to call.

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/durable-medical-equipment-dme-coverage

This link explains about equipment such as a hospital bed, wheel chair, etc.

The Area Agency on Aging, each county has one, could provide information for any services in your area.

I’m sorry your dad has cancer. I hope you find some help. Keep in touch with the forum for support. We care.

As Joann29 stated, the hospital social worker should be helping you with discharge planning, including obtaining a hospital bed. If your dad was a veteran, he may qualify for services through the VA but in my experience most people will not qualify for free services unless they are truly low income(and often there’s a waiting list through county agencies).

He would likely qualify for home health services, which would be nursing care, physical/occupational/speech therapy as indicated and a home health aide, but these are limited and not the caregiving services I think you’re looking for.

This is not what you asked, but I would also look into palliative care for your dad. My husband had a nurse practitioner come every 3 to 4 weeks and give individualized care for symptom management, including pain. Having that one on one time in the home can help identify those “important flags” that might otherwise be missed. Best of luck to you and keep coming back with questions, people are here to help.

A doctor can order all the equipment that he needs and it should be covered.
If he is still getting treatments (curative ones) he would not qualify for Hospice.
Hospice would provide, order and have delivered all the supplies and equipment that you would need.

If you are looking to purchase a hospital bed you can search FB Marketplace. You can contact your local Senior Center they may have a lending closet. I will tell you though that most beds that you come by will not have mattresses as no organization will take a used mattress.

You can rent or purchase a mattress. (Rented ones are cleaned and sanitized between rentals)
Look for an Alternating Pressure mattress as they are supposed to help prevent pressure sores.
Contact the American Cancer Society in your area or if the type of cancer he has has an organized organization they may have a contact.

I am going to send you a PM, I am in Crystal Lake

HI we have medicare not medicade. We are only interested in home health help. My mom was in a place over night and almost lost her so I took her out asap. Thanks for all suggestions trying to figure out how to reply to comments.