I am in a quandary

Yes, I am in a quandary. 

The Veterans Administration program that supplied me with in-home caregivers over the past seven or so years is no longer available to me. Changes in the program now limit it to those veterans with 100% combat related disabilities.

I think that is fantastic—that my younger comrades in arms who were disabled in warfare are receiving this vital service. However, when I was informed of the changes in the program this afternoon, the social worker with whom I spoke also mentioned that now all slots in the program are filled and there is already a waiting list of more than 40 disabled veterans. That is not fantastic, but I fear it is normal for the VA and the majority of government agencies.

So it appears I shall be on my own until my physical or mental condition deteriorates to the point I must be either in a nursing home or a cemetery.

My AARP Medicare supplement does not cover the difference between what Medicare will pay for caregivers and the cost of the service. Of course, I can’t afford to pay the difference either.

So that is my quandary. As usual, I am now exhausted—even though I have slept 18 of the past 24 hours. By tomorrow morning I hope to be awake and energized enough to get into a problem-solving mode to deal with this new dilemma.