Overcoming language barriers is key to gaining access to services

Myat and her mother only understood Burmese. With Myat’s disabilities, the world was a very lonely place, especially living in Central New York. The language barrier affected meeting Myat’s needs, including getting to medical appointments and assisting with her mobility issues.

When Jerry Kimkowski first met Myat and her mother, he knew Myat’s quality of life could be improved in numerous ways. As Myat’s Care Manager, Jerry began to build a relationship with Myat and her mother, giving them as much time as they needed to communicate with him. Jerry spent countless hours in face-to-face meetings with Myat and her mother, explaining the process and encouraging them about Myat’s progress.

Starting from scratch

Jerry took it upon himself to rewrite Myat’s Life Plan and reviewed all her medical information to ensure it accurately reflected her needs. Within that same month, he applied for family reimbursement and requested a self-direction budget for Myat. This budget would provide additional support, including interpretation and medical transportation services through Gadabout, to assist with her medical appointments and community access.

Seeing results

About a month later, Myat was approved through Racker for family reimbursement. Her mother is now receiving the support she needs as a caregiver, so their overall situation is much improved. As for Myat’s health, she was getting to all her medical appointments. Her health improved as a direct result of access to transportation. With home modifications and much-needed adaptive equipment, Myat’s mobility also improved. She received new orthotics and other upgrades and will get adaptive equipment to make her life easier, healthier, and more comfortable. 

Although Myat is waiting for her self-direction budget to be in place, Jerry says they’ve made great progress. “Building a relationship through patience and diligence, as well as making myself available for in-person support, has been key to working with Myat,” said Jerry. “There is still a lot of work to be done to assist Myat in living the best life she deserves.”

The Member’s name has been changed to protect the individual’s privacy.