It’s never too late: How Medicaid has changed my life for the better

Right now, the news is full of stories about the future of healthcare. What many folks don’t hear, though, are actual success stories from communities like ours. I’d like to share mine.

I am 66 years old, I live in the Charlotte area, and Medicaid has helped me gain back my independence. For years, I was struggling after I lost my husband of 21 years. Living alone at my age, it was difficult to pay my bills, maintain my home and get to my doctors appointments. I was concerned about my future and wasn’t sure where to get help. I thought it was too late for me.

I was fortunate enough to enter the Transitions to Community Living (TCL) program through Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, which helps people like me find the right housing in their communities. Cardinal Innovations worked with me to get me on my feet and make sure I was able to live independently. I worked closely with my care managers, who took time to understand my situation and help me build a plan. They gave me renewed hope for life.

The TCL program and the organizations I work with taught me it’s never too late to get your life on track. I now have coping skills that I use daily. I make it to all of my medical appointments, buy and pick up all my groceries, and I have a place of my own, which is more than just an apartment—it’s my home. I even volunteer at my apartment reading to first, second and third graders every week. It’s the most rewarding experience—one which I never could have participated without the TCL program.

So many people think of Medicaid as just another government program, but I think of it as my second chance at life and family. I truly don’t know where I would be without the TCL program.

With the right programs and support in place, as well as believing things will happen, people in North Carolina and surrounding areas can greatly benefit from Medicaid programs. While I had many folks helping me along the way, Cardinal Innovations was the one that gave me hope and helped me find a better life, for which I am forever grateful.