Kansas Health Institute | Information For Policy Makers. Health for Kansans.

PARSONS — Byron Hankins, 39, suffered a stroke six years ago and is still disabled.

“It’s a genetic thing with me,” he said of his general poor health. “But here lately I’ve been getting worse. I was in the hospital for 17 days last month with two different kinds of pneumonia. They’ve got me on oxygen all the time now.”

Hankins, a former security guard who managed laundromats on the side, is unable to work because of his health problems. He and his wife, Michelle, live on his Social Security Disability check: $690 a month.

Byron said he’s 5 foot 11 inches tall and weighs about 400 pounds.

“Yeah, well, there was a time I weighed 687 pounds,” he said. “So I’m down from where I used to be. Ever since my stroke, my legs have weakened. I can make it to the bathroom, but that’s about it.”

His wife, Michelle Hankins, a former Wal-Mart worker, doesn’t work, either. Instead, she cares for her husband.

“His doctor said I should stay home and take care of him,” she said.

In February 2009, the couple applied for Medicaid-funded services meant to help people with physical disabilities live independently and avoid expensive moves to nursing homes.

They’ve been on the program’s waiting list for services for 11 months.

“All I want is for someone to come in and help take care of me — to do some of the hard stuff, like bathing — so my wife can have a break,” Byron said. “She deserves it.”

Michelle, 39, has her own health problems.

“I have diabetes and my health is going downhill,” she said. “I’m having a hard time taking care of Byron, and now his health is going downhill, too. It’s kind of scary.”

Michelle said it would be “nice” to get some help caring for Byron, but what she’d like most is to have someone come in at night.

“I’d like to be able to get some sleep,” she said.

Michelle said she and Bryon await the day his health declines to the point where he must move to a nursing home.

“That seems like such a waste to me,” Michelle said. “His going to a nursing home is going to cost a lot of money. It would be much cheaper if they’d help us out a little now so we don’t get to that point. Besides, he doesn’t want to go to a nursing home.”