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My mom's ALF has informed me that they will transport her, but will not accompany her into the building. I find it hard to believe that every resident in the ALF is able to go into their appointments on their own. Having transportation to the appointments is one of the main reasons for being in the ALF as she no longer can drive and I live out of state. Has anyone else run into this?

It's a staffing issue -- they can't have staff leaving the facility for several hours whenever a resident has a medical appointment. (AL and MC usually have nurse practitioners and doctors for general medical and some specialists, depending on the size of the facility and availability of doctors to visit.) The facility can probably recommend an agency or individual caregivers that your mother can pay to go with her to appointments. Some medical transport companies will have the driver go in with and wait for a patient, for a higher fee.
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Reply to MG8522
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The staff at DH's memory care may or may not accompany residents to their appointments. What surprised me recently is when two aides drove resident 2.5 hours to the wedding of her grand-niece. Stayed with her, took care of her there, then drove 2.5 hours back to the memory care facility and put her to bed. A good time was had by all! I don't know if resident had to pay extra for this, but she had a big smile on her face when we all talked about it, so I'm assuming any extra expense would have been worth it to her.
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Reply to Fawnby
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At my mom's memory care a staff member will transport a resident and go in with them to the appointment. I didn't realize this was rare. I don't think they have any say while at the appointment, but will sit with the resident. I've not been with mom to an appointment in two years, but almost all medical care is done on site at her care home. The only times she had to leave were for specialists (macular degeneration and getting fitted for new glasses, etc.) Almost everything else is done in house. Now that I think about it, no one ever accompanied my dad when he was taken to the hospital from his nursing home. I went with him, riding along in either the facility van or an ambulance.
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Reply to JustAnon
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The memory care places I've looked into for Mom won't accompany her either. I think it's standard practice.
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Reply to Stardust
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You can hire an independent CNA for 3 or 4 hours to go to her appointments with her.
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Reply to brandee
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I signed my parents up for the geriatric gp who came into the AL where they lived. It's unrealistic to expect anyone to accompany your mother to an outside doctors appointment. AL is for fairly independent seniors. Although I still did a ton for my folks while they lived in AL. I cannot imagine living out of state and trying to manage my parents lives in AL. You can sign mom up for the in house doctor, but when other issues crop up, as they always do, then what? My mother went to the ER 5x while in AL and I had to meet the ambulance at the ER each time. When she went into Memory Care and had to be hospitalized, I had to be there the whole time for admission, during the exams and afterward to decide what rehab she would go to. No aides in either AL or MC accompany an elder to the ER or the hospital. The POA is usually there to speak for the elder.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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This is standard procedure in my experience.

Your mom will need to find someone to meet her at the appointment if she needs that type assistance.

Some people do Telemed from their facility or see a doctor who comes to the facility. Of course not every medical issue can be attended in this manner.

I’m surprised this was not discussed with admissions before her moving in.
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Reply to 97yroldmom
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Transportation is just that, transportation . The driver isn’t going to sit there with your mother at her appointments.
My FIL would be brought into the waiting room but the driver would leave . My husband would meet his Dad at appts because it saved time rather than my husband picking him up . My husband would call to let the driver know when to return to pick up my FIL .

If your mother needs someone to stay with her at appts you may have to hire an aide to do that.
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Reply to waytomisery
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