ADAPT Vigil Day Two

Melvin Douglas, more than 12 years in a Tennessee Nursing Home, now lives independently in Denver

(DENVER, July 6, 2002) ADAPT weathered the first hard 24 hours of their vigil to enforce promises made by the Colorado Health Care Policy Financing committee (ADAPT advocates milled around the front door of the Colorado Human Services Building today as the state Medicaid staff enjoyed the weekend.

“If they can take 5% here,” said Dawn Russell who spent the night in front of the Human Services Building, “they will take another 5% next week and the nursing homes don’t take any cuts.”

Following a meeting yesterday with the Colorado Medicaid Director Karen Reinertson, ADAPT began an enforcement vigil to make sure that ADAPT vigil is not off to a smooth start. At 1:00 am sprinklers automatically came on where advocates had built their “tent city” near the door of the Human Services Building. At 5:00 am a strong rain tested ADAPT advocate resolve. Fortunately, the afternoon was clear and sunny, perfect for drying wet clothes and equipment for the vigil to continue tonight.

“When the sprinklers came on, I was already in my sleeping bag,” said LaTonya Reeves of ADAPT. “Four people picked me up and moved me, sleeping bag and all.”

Melvin Douglas, who escaped a nursing home in Tennessee and is now able to live independently in Colorado was out to support ADAPT. The services he receives are not frills, but essential services that keep him from languishing in an institutional setting.

Terence Turner, when asked how long he planned to be outside the Medicaid office building said: “As long as it takes.”

- Tim Wheat  

• Read about Day One
• Read about Day Two
• Read about Day Three
• Read about Day Four
• Read about Day Five
• Read about Day Five
• Read about Day Six
• Read about Day Seven
• Read about Day Ten
• Read about Days Eleven and Twelve