Our Life with Milly

Milly is not only severely handicapped, but also in need of the most intensive care. She is entitled to care allowance. She is also entitled to care benefits, which are intended to make care easier. These include above all preventive care and the relief allowance. With the help of these services, we can also send our nannies through town with Milly on weekends or hire a cleaner to do basic cleaning. Especially where it is physically exhausting for me, these relief services are great, and we use them regularly.

Unfortunately, not all relatives of people in need of care do this. After all, the bureaucracy behind it is enormous. Applications must be submitted in good time, completed and sent back again. Many caring relatives do not even know what relief services they can claim for their caring activities. There is no time to get to grips with the matter. In addition many further tasks arise: Administrative procedures, the exchange of information and appointments with doctors, therapists, kindergartens, etc., are all part of the process. I constantly have to keep track of processes and have created a resubmission list like in administration, which I routinely work through. Of course, I also have to observe deadlines, get referral slips and prescriptions from the doctors at the beginning of the quarter and, if necessary, also admission slips. But beware, they are only valid for 10 days and the doctor is only not allowed to give the wrong diagnose reference on the prescription. Then a therapy will be stopped and the prescription has to be reissued, picked up and forwarded. Not to forget, the constant contact and the dates with the rehab specialized dealers regarding the aids. The biggest part of this administrative effort is the correspondence with the health insurance company, namely when you struggle with them about the aids.

Heidelberg, July 2017