HCS CLIENT STORY: KERRIE FINDS A HOME

Kerrie is an HCS client who was added to our caseload when she was a patient at Sacred Heart Medical Center in October 2021. She had already been in the hospital for 3 months and needed long-term care placement. According to her HCS case manager, Kerrie is a young, funny and sassy woman. She suffered a TBI following an incident of self-harm during a period when she was separating from her husband and felt hopeless. At the time, she was living in Florida. After she was stabilized, she moved from Florida to Washington state to live with her sister.

Unfortunately, Kerrie’s sister was diagnosed with cancer shortly after her arrival and was unable to provide the level of care Kerrie needed. When Kerrie was admitted to Sacred Heart for a surgical repair to her skull, she could not return to her sister’s home.

When Kerrie met with her HCS case manager, she said she wanted to “live happy” and preferred to live with her friend, Barbie.

After some investigation, the case manager determined that Barbie was a family friend and employee of the hospital who visited Kerrie frequently. Barbie was not a member of the medical staff and had no experience with caregiving. She had an extended conversation with Kerrie’s case manager, gave the matter some thought, and decided she would be willing to bring Kerrie into her home and become Kerrie’s caregiver.

The case manager, a public benefits specialist, Barbie and Kerrie’s guardian ad litem all worked to process Kerrie’s financial eligibility, which was complicated by the fact that Kerrie was still married with a divorce pending. Meanwhile, Barbie worked on becoming certified as an individual provider. They also all worked together to gather the necessary equipment, set up Kerrie’s living space, and transfer Kerrie’s medical care to a primary care provider.

Kerrie was officially discharged from the hospital in July 2021, after 212 days, and went to live with Barbie and Barbie’s husband, where she can “live happy” with her friend.