In home health care question

[traveler4444]

Hello,

I'm a new member. I've been reading posts here for a few months now and thought it was time for me to join. My wife and I are interested in retiring outside the US. The problem is that my wife has multiple sclerosis and is totally disabled. I would need to find a location that has affordable in home care available. I understand that the RP is also quite hot, so I would need to have airconditioning for her. Is in home care affordable and is there a location that has a good dependable supply of eclectricity? I'm also checking out locations other than the RP.

Thanks for any help/information you can provide

[Phil_expat]

Originally Posted by traveler4444

Hello,

I'm a new member. I've been reading posts here for a few months now and thought it was time for me to join. My wife and I are interested in retiring outside the US. The problem is that my wife has multiple sclerosis and is totally disabled. I would need to find a location that has affordable in home care available. I understand that the RP is also quite hot, so I would need to have airconditioning for her. Is in home care affordable and is there a location that has a good dependable supply of eclectricity? I'm also checking out locations other than the RP.

Thanks for any help/information you can provide

Air conditioning is very easy to get in the Philippines and pay for helpers are extremely reasonable. Brownouts are common, worst in some areas. A back up generator would be a good investment. Hospitals are a problem! Manila does have very good hospital. My suggestion is Manila is not a good place to live try somewhere just outside that has a average hospital for emergences. U.S. medical insurance is no good in the Philippines. You should buy insurance or have enough saved for emergencies. I have been hospitalize and operated in phil, the cost was a lot less than co-payment in the USA.

[Gene and Viol]

Originally Posted by Phil_expat

Air conditioning is very easy to get in the Philippines and pay for helpers are extremely reasonable. Brownouts are common, worst in some areas. A back up generator would be a good investment. Hospitals are a problem! Manila does have very good hospital. My suggestion is Manila is not a good place to live try somewhere just outside that has a average hospital for emergences. U.S. medical insurance is no good in the Philippines. You should buy insurance or have enough saved for emergencies. I have been hospitalize and operated in phil, the cost was a lot less than co-payment in the USA.

I'm gonna jump in here just for the heck of it. Where your wife's medical condition is not only serious, it can also become more serious over time. That and due to the fact the this is a 3rd world country where medical as well as other life changing decisions are not always made very well; plus as stated before in a reply to you about the power outages and also even lack of descent or reliable ambulance service. I would suggest that the Philippines is not a good choice of places to live. Rather, I would suggest a country closer to the US. Perhaps Belize or Pamama. Both are good places to retire, especially Belize with a growing expat community would be a much better and safer location.
The owner of this site also has a South American expat site called Gringos. Here is a link to that site and although a quiet site at the moment, it may offer a better alturnitive for you. Gringos is located at: Latin America Gringos Forum For Members That Live in and Travel to South America

Gene

[Phil_expat]

Originally Posted by Gene and Viol

I'm gonna jump in here just for the heck of it. Where your wife's medical condition is not only serious, it can also become more serious over time. That and due to the fact the this is a 3rd world country where medical as well as other life changing decisions are not always made very well; plus as stated before in a reply to you about the power outages and also even lack of descent or reliable ambulance service. I would suggest that the Philippines is not a good choice of places to live. Rather, I would suggest a country closer to the US. Perhaps Belize or Pamama. Both are good places to retire, especially Belize with a growing expat community would be a much better and safer location.
The owner of this site also has a South American expat site called Gringos. Here is a link to that site and although a quiet site at the moment, it may offer a better alturnitive for you. Gringos is located at: Latin America Gringos Forum For Members That Live in and Travel to South America

Gene

Glad you jump in here, excelent advice...

[Dumbo]

Hi, I will jump in here to if I can help. I have MS and living in Thailand. I am from NZ and have been Living in Thailand full time now for two and a half years. Everyone with MS is different as you will know traveler4444. Heat is common enemy for all MS'ers. I have never been to the Philippines but I would think conditions will be much the same. I live in Surin 450ks northeast of Bangkok. It would be too lengthy discuss MS problems here. I have gone against all MS rules by coming here. Your wife is totally disabled. I don't think it would be good for her. You are more than welcome to PM me.

[fmartin_gila]

I probably shouldn't but I will jump in on this. I have a friend who has MS too, and although I don't know that much about it, she has informed me that no matter what you do it will progressivly get worse so there is no stopping it. On the power issue, I spent an afternoon a few years ago in the Cebu Airport Terminal while they had an outage, If they can't keep power to one of the major Air Terminals in the Country it is very sad. DO NOT DEPEND ON THE MUNICIPAL POWER SUPPLY!!. When My Lady had some heart problems last year we were staying in an apartment in Karangalan Village (suburb of Manila), I had to borrow a car from her Son's Cousin and drive her to the Hospital MYSELF. Do not depend upon any professional help in any situation as you are pretty much on your own.

Fred

[Gene and Viol]

Originally Posted by fmartin_gila

I probably shouldn't but I will jump in on this. I have a friend who has MS too, and although I don't know that much about it, she has informed me that no matter what you do it will progressivly get worse so there is no stopping it. On the power issue, I spent an afternoon a few years ago in the Cebu Airport Terminal while they had an outage, If they can't keep power to one of the major Air Terminals in the Country it is very sad. DO NOT DEPEND ON THE MUNICIPAL POWER SUPPLY!!. When My Lady had some heart problems last year we were staying in an apartment in Karangalan Village (suburb of Manila), I had to borrow a car from her Son's Cousin and drive her to the Hospital MYSELF. Do not depend upon any professional help in any situation as you are pretty much on your own.

Fred

Hi Fred,

Thanks for getting into this. You are right 100% without a doubt. Living here can be fatal for reasons like that. Even if one can get hold of an ambulance by phone too, there is no guarantee they will even show up. If they do, traffic and or their lack of equipment or ability will likely prove fatal. This is not the place for experimental living for anyone with serious health issues in the long term.

Gene

[jon1]

I agree with both of you (Fred and Gene). Living here you have to be independent of obstacles as possible. I purchased a vehicle and got my wife some driving lessons/license. That way she can drive me to the hospital if ever needed. Just the thought of first trying to find someone to transport you, then language barrier and finally having to explain where you are was enough to push me to this solution (imagine you being under duress and trying to accomplish all that)? I have also done a practice run with her so that she knows where to go and what to do and say. Then after you get there you have all the hospital/financial issues. I have $ set aside just for that.

[Gene and Viol]

Originally Posted by jon1

I agree with both of you (Fred and Gene). Living here you have to be independent of obstacles as possible. I purchased a vehicle and got my wife some driving lessons/license. That way she can drive me to the hospital if ever needed. Just the thought of first trying to find someone to transport you, then language barrier and finally having to explain where you are was enough to push me to this solution (imagine you being under duress and trying to accomplish all that)? I have also done a practice run with her so that she knows where to go and what to do and say. Then after you get there you have all the hospital/financial issues. I have $ set aside just for that.

Jon, that is an excellent idea and one that I am working on my wife with as well. St Raphael hospital is 20 minutes from our home and a good hospital that is close to Angeles. But if my wife can not drive in an emergency it might as well be 1,000 miles away.
Thanks for posting that Jon. Hopefully many will see your post...

Gene

[jon1]

You're welcome Gene. I hope it helps someone out too..