Category Archives: disability rights

A Day in the Life of an Activist

Posted on February 18, 2015 by annecwoodlen

It is 7:23 a.m. and the sun is rising over Syracuse; the temperature is zero. I always find zero a particularly dispiriting temperature, rather like a flat line on an EKG: everything has come to a halt; life is over. … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, Call-a-Bus, Centro, disability rights, Government Services, Housing, HUD-subsidized housing, Poverty, Power, power wheelchairs, Powerlessness, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Black Girls and White Women (Part II)

Posted on September 7, 2014 by annecwoodlen

Black girls, like everybody else, want esteem and authority. They are unprepared to do anything else, so they work as aides and I think they are ashamed of it. Couple that with their eagerness to tell the rest of the … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, disability rights, Government Services, Medicaid, Onondaga County, Poverty, Power, Values | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Black Girls and White Women (Part I)

Posted on September 6, 2014 by annecwoodlen

I only know one other person who is getting Medicaid home health aides and she is just as outraged as I am at how we get treated. She concurs with everything I say about aides being arrogant and bossy, and … Continue reading →

Posted in disability rights, Medicaid, Onondaga County, Poverty, Power, Values | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Right of Way

Posted on August 24, 2014 by annecwoodlen

It started a few years ago with the A-frame signs. The signs were about two feet wide and three feet tall and they advertised what was for sale inside the business. The signs were placed on the sidewalk in front … Continue reading →

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“I Don’t Know; I Really Don’t.” (Part IV)

Posted on August 11, 2014 by annecwoodlen

Without aides— I only get a shower about once a week. The bed sheets get changed about twice a month. My income is $834/month. I spend about $60/month on private-pay aides. Because there is no one to wash the dishes, … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, disability rights, Government Services, Medicaid, Medical care, Onondaga County, Poverty, Powerlessness | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Call-a-Bus Meets Anne Woodlen

Posted on August 7, 2014 by annecwoodlen

We interrupt this series of blogs about Medicaid patients being unable to get home health aides in order to bring you a short history of Call-a-Bus. Call-a-Bus, hereinafter referred to as CAB, is public transportation solely for people who are … Continue reading →

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“I Don’t Know; I Really Don’t.” (Part III)

Posted on August 6, 2014 by annecwoodlen

Continuation to https://annecwoodlen.wordpress.com/2014/08/05/i-dont-know-i-really-dont-part-ii/ Around this time—“this time” being near the beginning of June—Long Term Care’s nurse supervisor, Marge Owens, named the licensed home health care agencies with whom the county contracts: All Metro Health Care, Home Aides of CNY, Interim … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, disability rights, Government Services, Medicaid, Medical care, Onondaga County, political corruption, Poverty | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“I Don’t Know; I Really Don’t.” (Part II)

Posted on August 5, 2014 by annecwoodlen

N.B. The Onondaga County web site states that Adult and Long Term Services includes Aging, Long Term Care, Veterans, Adult Protective and Mental Health; Commissioner Long’s secretary says it includes “Aging, Mental health, NY Connects, Protective Services, Veterans.” [“Nancy Lell/Secretary … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, disability rights, Government Services, Medicaid, Onondaga County, Poverty, Powerlessness, Values | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“I Don’t Know; I Really Don’t.”

Posted on August 4, 2014 by annecwoodlen

The NYS Dept. of Health lists 56 licensed home care agencies that serve Onondaga County; the Onondaga County government only contracts with five of them. Everyone says that right now the list of patients on Medicaid who are awaiting home … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, disability rights, Fraud, Government Services, Medicaid, Medical care, Nursing home, Onondaga County, Poverty, Powerlessness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Is Really Going On Here?

Posted on June 2, 2014 by annecwoodlen

Last week I called the home health care agency that was supplying my home health aide and asked them what their policy is about aides using cell phones. In the olden days, around 1995, the standard policy was that no … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, advocacy, disability rights, Government Services, Onondaga County, Poverty, Powerlessness | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment