The Indian American

21 THE INDIAN AMERICAN OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2018 programs, state and private, that may make treatments affordable. Medicare is limited to U.S. citizens, mostly those age 65 or older. Some states do not offer Medicaid, which serves people with limited income and financial assets, to non-Americans. In such cases, you will have to buy much more expensive insurance, which may not cover certain procedures and medications. Another option is to choose less-expensive treatment in the patient's home country, as we did. 2. The United States grants a B-2 visa for travelers coming to this country for medical reasons, but it requires a lot of supporting paperwork. Some U.S. hospitals, such as New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering and Minnesota's Mayo Clinic, are known for attracting foreign patients, but you can also check hospitals in your region. There is no central government-run website for such information, but you can check private ones such as VoyagerMed. 3. Clinical trials do not impose a financial burden because treatment costs are borne by the institutions conducting the trial. The patient is assuming a risk that the drug may not work, that they will receive a placebo (or standard treatment) and that the drug will make things worse. The trials did not work for my mom, but some patients do benefit. There are medical requirements to join these trials, and it is tough for noncitizens and visitors with green cards to get into them in the United States. But there are tri- als in multiple countries, and there may be some in your loved one's home country. To learn more, you can search an NIH directo- ry. 4. Being away from family, friends and home is very hard for immigrants of every age, and more so for older adults. WhatsApp, the free texting, voice and video- calling service, is one of the best ways for them to stay connected. My mom texted and talked to her siblings, other family members and good friends every day. Separately, I had several Indian channels on my cable lineup. Every evening after dinner, we would watch our favorite serials. 5. If you need to return to your home country to help a loved one, use the leave offered by the Family and Medical Leave Act if it applies to your situation. It says cer- tain employees can take three months off, without pay. Use it if you can afford to do so. Otherwise, cobble together sick days and vacation days, and telework if you have that option. 6. If you are the sole caregiver, as I was, try to take breaks, and ask your friends and family for help. My biggest regrets about this experience were the times when I was short with my mom or did not explain things clearly to her because I was stressed. 7. Most of all, be kind. Being in a foreign country is not easy, least of all for someone who is ill, fearful and sad. My mom spoke fluent English, was capable of exploring places on her own and was fully functional. Yet, there were things that tripped her up, such as how insurance payments work, how to get approval for treatments and where to go for scans and blood tests. Recognize that there is still your loved one behind the ill- ness, and do your best to be kind. -The Washington Post