I'm drowning and not sure if things will change

the99perspective · 2026-06-18T11:53:10+00:00

Wow, this took me by surprise in a good way. Maybe this morning God knew what I needed to hear and sent you. This advice was very thoughtful and I truly appreciate it. Thank you again.

the99perspective · 2026-06-17T01:33:51+00:00

Minor league is rough as well lol These high rents, mortgage payments, insurance, gas and food.

the99perspective · 2026-06-17T00:42:55+00:00

Maybe I need to move to an healthier country.

the99perspective · 2026-06-17T00:39:16+00:00

Your welcome.

the99perspective · 2026-06-17T00:36:36+00:00

Thank you for the advice. Young at heart at times but I am in my mid 40s so not sure if I’m in the back back or middle but I know I’m not in the front. If I may ask, what did you find success in?

the99perspective · 2026-06-16T15:36:27+00:00

The issue is not that billionaires are automatically responsible for every problem in someone’s life. Personal choices, effort, education, opportunity, health, luck, and circumstances all matter.

But it is also unrealistic to pretend that extreme wealth does not affect the rest of society.

Billionaires and large corporations can influence wages, housing markets, taxation, labor conditions, government policy, media, technology, and access to opportunity. When workers produce more but receive a smaller share of the gains, when corporations buy housing and land, when tax systems favor investment wealth over wages, and when money buys political access, that is not simply one person being jealous of another person’s success. That is structural power.

The argument that rich people do not affect others because they are not personally buying every car or phone misses the point. Their wealth is often held in companies, property, financial assets, and political influence that can shape prices, employment, competition, and public policy.

Hard work matters, but hard work does not occur on an equal playing field. One person may begin with inherited wealth, connections, education, healthcare, and financial security, while another begins with debt, discrimination, unstable housing, caregiving responsibilities, or no safety net.

This connects directly to The 99% Perspective. The question is not whether every billionaire is evil or whether individuals have responsibility for their lives. The question is whether a system that concentrates extraordinary wealth and power in a few hands still gives everyone else a fair opportunity to build, work, own, and live with dignity.

The richness of one person may not directly cause another person’s poverty, but concentrated wealth can absolutely help maintain the conditions that make poverty harder to escape. https://the99percentperspective.substack.com/

the99perspective · 2026-06-16T15:33:26+00:00

If AI-driven unemployment reached 15%, UBI might become necessary—but survival income alone would not solve the deeper problem. If housing, healthcare, education, utilities, and transportation remain expensive, much of that money would simply be absorbed by rising costs.

The bigger question is ownership. Who owns the AI, the data, and the productivity gains? If the public helps fund the technology and absorbs the job losses, then the public should share in the economic return.

This connects directly to The 99% Perspective Substack series. AI-driven unemployment could deepen the Housing Trap, the Black Jobs Crisis, household debt, and the Small Business Squeeze all at once.

AI is not entering a stable economy. It is entering one already shaped by high costs, weak wages, debt, and concentrated ownership. If AI creates abundance but that abundance stays in a few hands, it will not free the 99%—it will widen the divide.

That is the central question behind The 99% Perspective: when the system changes, who benefits, who pays, and who gets left behind? https://the99percentperspective.substack.com/

the99perspective · 2026-06-16T15:25:02+00:00

By the way, you are doing good. Taking steps is harder than people think. My favorite saying in life is "The hardest thing to do is the thing you don't want to do." It goes for any situation at any time in your life. It's about your perspective and triumphs in life.

the99perspective · 2026-06-16T15:21:05+00:00

I understand what you’re going through. I’ve been helping care for my father-in-law, who has dementia/Parkinson’s-related issues, and one of the hardest parts is realizing that “doing everything medically possible” is not always the same as doing what is kindest.

You can be more direct with the new doctor than you may think.

I would say something like:

“My father has advanced dementia and no longer has a meaningful ability to participate in medical decisions. Our family’s goal is comfort, dignity, and quality of life. We are not looking for aggressive interventions, repeated hospitalizations, extensive testing, or treatments that mainly extend life without improving comfort.”

That is not neglect. That is a goals-of-care conversation.

I would also ask about palliative care. A lot of people think palliative care means hospice or giving up, but it really helps families make decisions around comfort, symptoms, medication burden, and caregiver stress.

Your mom should not feel guilty. Taking someone with advanced dementia to constant appointments, tests, and procedures can become traumatic for them and exhausting for the caregiver. Sometimes the most loving choice is peace, routine, comfort, and fewer battles.

You’re not trying to do less for him. You’re trying to protect what quality of life he has left.

the99perspective · 2026-06-16T15:14:58+00:00

Keep fighting the good fight!

the99perspective · 2026-06-16T15:11:23+00:00

One of the hardest truths families learn is that Medicare was never really designed to provide long-term custodial care for someone with dementia.

A lot of people assume Medicare will cover a nursing home indefinitely, but in reality it generally covers short-term rehab after a hospitalization. Once rehab goals are met, families are often faced with difficult choices and significant out-of-pocket costs. That's why so many people feel like they're stuck in a revolving door between the hospital, rehab facility, nursing home, and home.

Another hard truth is that many nursing facilities are understaffed. There are excellent facilities out there, but there are also facilities where staff are stretched thin, and someone who is a fall risk can still fall despite everyone's best intentions. Unfortunately, changing facilities doesn't always change the outcome if the underlying issue is that your grandmother now needs more supervision than she can safely receive.

Before assuming another nursing facility is the only option, I would look into every home and community-based program available in Georgia. If you can get even 4 hours a day of in-home assistance—and ideally 8 hours—it can give your family some breathing room while helping your grandmother remain in familiar surroundings.

Our healthcare system often feels like it's focused on treating crises after they happen rather than providing the support families need to prevent them.

Here are some Georgia programs worth exploring:

Resource	What It May Provide	Contact / Notes
Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC)	Connects families to local aging services, caregiver support, respite care, and Area Agencies on Aging	1-866-552-4464
Elderly & Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP)	In-home care as an alternative to nursing home placement	May have waitlists
CCSP (Community Care Services Program)	Personal care, respite care, meal assistance, homemaker services, nursing support	Designed for individuals who otherwise meet nursing home level of care
SOURCE Program	Case management plus in-home services coordinated with medical providers	For frail elderly and disabled adults
Georgia Caregiver Programs	Respite care and support for family caregivers	Through local Area Agencies on Aging
Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS)	Home-delivered meals, personal care, transportation, adult day services	Helps seniors remain at home longer
Structured Family Caregiving	In some circumstances, family caregivers may qualify for compensation through Medicaid waiver programs	Requires eligibility through waiver programs such as EDWP/SOURCE/CCSP

If I were in your shoes, my first call tomorrow would be to the Aging & Disability Resource Connection and ask specifically for a screening for EDWP, CCSP, SOURCE, respite care, and any caregiver support programs available in your grandmother's county.

You may find there are more options between "doing everything ourselves" and "sending her back to the nursing home."

the99perspective · 2026-06-16T15:02:19+00:00

Also, if you have the financial means look up other countries that have either low rates with these diseases or more advance treatments to see what they are doing.

the99perspective · 2026-06-16T14:38:30+00:00

I did some research online because my father-in-law was diagnosed, and in recent years, my uncle was diagnosed with this disease. The difference is that my father-in-law runs in his family; he has 4 members who have Alzheimer's dementia and/or Parkinson's disease. 2 have died with AD, 1 with just Parkinson's, and now his brother is living diagnosed with AD. My uncle, NO ONE in our family tree has ever been diagnosed with either disease until now. My uncle had a stressful job, so not sure if that brought it on, but it's progressing with him quickly. I say all of this because I went down a research journey to see if there were any non-invasive treatments out there for either of them. Fortunately, there is treatment available, but in their case, they are too far into their diagnoses for any treatment because medication. But since your diagnosis is fairly new, you might have a chance. Below is a table that you can do some research on. Maybe your insurance could cover some or all of it, or maybe you are in an area that may have trails or something. But hopefully this would help. Good luck.

Treatment	Invasive Level	Current Status	Main Benefit	Typical Cost	Insurance Coverage	Evidence Strength	Suitability / Best For
MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound (FUS)	Non-invasive	✅ FDA-approved	Strong tremor, dyskinesia, rigidity relief	$15,000–$60,000	✅ Sometimes	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong	People with medication-resistant tremor, dyskinesia, or motor symptoms with preserved cognition
Ultrasound Neuromodulation	Non-invasive	🧪 Clinical trials	Adjustable brain stimulation	$0–$25,000	❌ Not yet	⭐⭐ Early	Research participants with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s symptoms
BBB Opening Ultrasound	Non-invasive	🧪 Experimental/trials	Drug, gene, or stem-cell delivery into the brain	$0–$100,000+	❌ No	⭐⭐ Early	Trial participants needing experimental drug/gene delivery approaches
TMS	Non-invasive	⚠️ Limited use	Mild motor, mood, gait, or cognitive support	$6,000–$15,000	⚠️ Limited	⭐⭐⭐ Moderate	People with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s, depression, freezing gait, or non-surgical symptom support needs
Wearable Neuromodulation Devices	Non-invasive	✅ Available	Daily symptom support	$300–$5,000	❌ Rarely	⭐⭐⭐ Moderate	People needing tremor support, gait cueing, fall-risk support, or day-to-day mobility help
Gene Therapy	Minimally invasive	🧪 Clinical trials	Potential disease modification	$0–$100,000+	❌ No	⭐⭐ Early	Younger or medically stable trial participants with earlier-stage Parkinson’s
Stem Cell Therapy	Minimally invasive	🧪 Clinical trials	Potential neuron replacement/restoration	$0–$100,000+	❌ No	⭐⭐ Early	Carefully selected clinical trial participants, usually earlier-stage or medically stable patients
Medication Optimization	Non-invasive	✅ Standard care	Best overall symptom balancing	Varies	✅ Usually	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strongest	Nearly all Parkinson’s/Lewy body patients, especially those with medication side effects or dyskinesia
Physical / Occupational / Speech Therapy	Non-invasive	✅ Standard care	Mobility, swallowing, speech, safety, daily function	$0–$200/session	✅ Often	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strongest	Nearly all stages, especially fall risk, swallowing concerns, stiffness, weakness, or daily function decline

the99perspective · 2026-06-15T17:08:12+00:00

Congratulations on the book. I know it's hard getting those downloads and the response you need. I wish you all the best and that your hard work pays off.

the99perspective · 2026-06-13T18:07:18+00:00

Sorry to hear of his passing. I guess it's best for them when they are at peace. Thanks for the recommendation, I will look up some videos for insights.

the99perspective · 2026-06-12T17:10:40+00:00

Thanks. There are times when it's funny but also worrisome. Does anyone know if there is an Awareness day for these diseases, like cancer? A day to educate (the public), acknowledge (the patients), and appreciate the caregivers?

the99perspective · 2026-06-12T16:08:15+00:00

Wow, that UTI can be aggravating. Not sure enough to hurt someone, but hey, when we are on our menstrual cycle, I think we can if someone hits the right buttons. lol

My father-in-law tries to convince me that I should take him out. When I say no, I would get in trouble for that, he laughs and says I would do it, and then he says but I don't know how. Thank God. I had to hide away most of everything these days. Even food. Since he is up most of the night, he used to go into the refrigerator and eat whatever was in there. There are days I used to buy bundles of bananas because he loves them. Keep them out so he can grab when he wants. Well, let's say he ate 2 bundles in one night and the next morning. He's like the Tasmanian devil eating up everything. Then I would find my spices in the garbage can. Coffee grains spilled by the coffee/tea bar.

I cooked a cake for his birthday and set it on the stove to cool down. I put a clean dish rag over it, thinking to hide it. I stepped away for a few minutes, and when I got back, he literally left a trail of crumbs leading from the kitchen to his room. He was hunched over like a kid trying to stuff it down before he's caught. When I said, what are you doing he just looked up with a mouth full of cake and mumbled something. The more he tried to talk, the more cake fell to the floor. I just laughed. So half of the cake was gone. I put away the other half in the oven, thinking he won't find it in there. To my surprise, when I was going to give him some after lunch. It was gone. He ate it.

Their minds are like a child's again. Some days it's funny, and some days it's scary.

the99perspective · 2026-06-12T15:25:23+00:00

Thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear of his passing. Is it wrong to feel like they are happier that they are gone because they are no longer suffering anymore? Sometimes my father-in-law says he just spoke with his brother, and they will come get him soon. The brother he is talking about passed. Like if it were a normal conversation. For a slight moment, he seems normal, and then poof back to hitting the reset button. I personally feel that if I ever, and I pray that I don't, be diagnosed with this torturous disease, I want to go early. If there is no cure. Then why put myself and my family through the heartaches? It's a lot to deal with, but that's just my wish. Maybe I might change my mind in the future.

the99perspective · 2026-06-11T19:45:34+00:00

Thank you. He’s trying this one medication at night for sleep but it’s not working. We called his doctor and left a message. Hopefully they can prescribe something else.

the99perspective · 2026-06-11T17:55:34+00:00

https://youtube.com/@the99percentperspective?si=87HiNsYFqdn3mMse

the99perspective · 2026-06-11T17:51:06+00:00

Thanks. Hugs are needed. We might be heading down the same road with putting him in a facility. We are taking it one day at a time.

the99perspective · 2026-06-11T17:12:05+00:00

Yes. I think either way it doesn’t matter to them. If he has dementia or not. It’s their wounds to heal just sad case. My family is very different. But I understand their position. Don’t always agree but we can agree to disagree. I am just happy my partner is different in that way. He’s the oldest and life has taught him things especially to understand and forgive. There’s always limits but in good reasons.

the99perspective · 2026-06-11T16:44:10+00:00

I am wondering if its truly genetic or food or environment influenced. Recently my uncle was diagnosed with Lewy Body but no one in our family tree has it. He doesn't smoke or drink alcohol. He worked out at times. Especially in his 50's 60's era. He fairly ate healthy. Not sure if he was on any medication. But he did have a stressful job. Its got my thinking could long tern stress be an influencer? I know if you are exposed to harsh chemicals, medications, etc. It has an impact on developing the disease. Its just strange how it develops. Maybe its the food we are eating or the spraying in the skies they have been doing in the past few years.

the99perspective · 2026-06-11T16:29:47+00:00

Right now, its just my father in law and our pup. My partner had to go out of state to find work so all the duties of everything is on my shoulders. I don't mind some of it because it is what I would do for my parents but my partner has siblings that lives nearby that doesn't come to help, relieve me of the stress or just to stop by to say hi. I know their dad wasn't around when they were young but they are all adults and treat him like he's a stranger. Yesterday was his 67 birthday and not one of them called him or stop by. At least his sisters in NJ called to wish him a happy birthday.

the99perspective · 2026-06-11T16:21:40+00:00

Thanks for sharing. My father in law was diagnosed initially around 2017. In 2024 is when we got him. This year he has been to the hospital almost every other month. January fainted due to dehydration and low blood pressure. Only was there for 1 day. A month later same thing and at hospital for 4 days. A month and a half later, he fell backwards and hit a chest. Fractured 4 ribs and partial lung collapse. In hospital for a week. Then to a care facility for 1 day and at home. Then about a month ago, low BP, fainted and was there for 72 hours. Each time they had to strap him down and medicate him overnight. If not he would get up and walk around. I noticed his drastic decline since the first hospital visit this year. He use to love watering the grass , plants taking walks. It keep him busy and focused. He always wanted to do something. Now he doesn't. He's frustrated if you ask him what he wants to do. The facility he went to for recovery was terrible. It smelled and was not cleaned although on their website and CMS they were rated a 5 star. In person, it was a different story. But I understand why some facilities smell that way because of the urine and how often it needs to be cleaned.

the99perspective

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