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Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
I don't know if there are any objective criteria when deciding to place an elderly parent in a nursing home. Each caregiver/family member has their own threshold of what they can and can't handle. It's a very personal decision.
I would tell my dad that as long as he didn't become bed-bound he would never have to go into a nursing home. I was sorry I made that promise because while he didn't become bed-bound I became unable to manage his end stage liver disease on my own. So that was my breaking point.
Some people feel that when their elderly parent is no longer able to be left alone it's time to find a nursing home.
Each situation is unique and I think an adult child has to look at the entire situation and decide upon what's best. Then there are other factors such as is the adult child working full-time while the parent with Alzheimer's is alone? Does the adult child have growing children of his/her own that he/she needs to care for?
What can you put up with? Is your lifestyle such that you can devote a large portion of your time to your parent? And knowing that the parent with dementia is only going to decline are you able to make what could be a long-term commitment to caring for your parent?
My pie-in-the-sky commitment to my dad, to not place him in a nursing home unless he became bed bound, was unrealistic. I couldn't manage his disease at home anymore and after a stay in the hospital then a rehab center I was approached about placing him in a nursing home and I agreed that it was the best decision. So that was my breaking point. He needed around the clock care that I couldn't provide since I was only 1 person.
I think if someone with dementia needs around the clock care they're a candidate for a nursing home. 1 person can't do the job that takes 3 shifts of nurses to do.
If a person with dementia wanders I also think a nursing home is necessary to keep that person safe.
If someone with dementia doesn't have people to care for them 24/7 a nursing home is necessary.
Like I said, it's a very personal decision based on many factors.
I notice your loved one is in AL. When my loved one was in regular AL, she had to enter Secure Memory Care due to wandering. Even though she was in a wheelchair, she would wheel out to the parking lot and try to leave. She had no idea of danger getting hit by a car or picked up by a stranger.
I think you can have a professional do an assessment. Based on those who are around the resident on a daily basis, they can assess what kind of services they need. Things to be considered are:
Can they bathe themselves? Can they change their own clothes, brush teeth, put on shoes? Do they eat nonfood items such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste? Most Memory Care units keep toiletries out of the resident's reach due this problem. Can they properly administer their own medication. This one is big, since most dementia patients are not able to do this past the mild stage. Can they cook or attend to meals without assistance? Are they mobile and at risk of falls? Dementia patients often have balance issues. Are they incontinent or need help with toileting. They may forget how to clean themselves or to flush toilet. Do they know to get out of bed and return to bed at night. They may have sleeping issues that need supervision. Are they resistant to staff who try to help them? Dementia patients often refuse to allow baths, medication, meals, etc. Memory Care units are more willing to work with this and are trained to redirect and convince the resident to comply.
There are other things to consider. You will likely get many other ideas here. Sometimes the behavior of the resident can become so difficult that the family receives lots of phone calls regarding problems. It becomes clear their current environment is not sufficient.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
I would tell my dad that as long as he didn't become bed-bound he would never have to go into a nursing home. I was sorry I made that promise because while he didn't become bed-bound I became unable to manage his end stage liver disease on my own. So that was my breaking point.
Some people feel that when their elderly parent is no longer able to be left alone it's time to find a nursing home.
Each situation is unique and I think an adult child has to look at the entire situation and decide upon what's best. Then there are other factors such as is the adult child working full-time while the parent with Alzheimer's is alone? Does the adult child have growing children of his/her own that he/she needs to care for?
What can you put up with? Is your lifestyle such that you can devote a large portion of your time to your parent? And knowing that the parent with dementia is only going to decline are you able to make what could be a long-term commitment to caring for your parent?
My pie-in-the-sky commitment to my dad, to not place him in a nursing home unless he became bed bound, was unrealistic. I couldn't manage his disease at home anymore and after a stay in the hospital then a rehab center I was approached about placing him in a nursing home and I agreed that it was the best decision. So that was my breaking point. He needed around the clock care that I couldn't provide since I was only 1 person.
I think if someone with dementia needs around the clock care they're a candidate for a nursing home. 1 person can't do the job that takes 3 shifts of nurses to do.
If a person with dementia wanders I also think a nursing home is necessary to keep that person safe.
If someone with dementia doesn't have people to care for them 24/7 a nursing home is necessary.
Like I said, it's a very personal decision based on many factors.
I think you can have a professional do an assessment. Based on those who are around the resident on a daily basis, they can assess what kind of services they need. Things to be considered are:
Can they bathe themselves?
Can they change their own clothes, brush teeth, put on shoes?
Do they eat nonfood items such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste? Most Memory Care units keep toiletries out of the resident's reach due this problem.
Can they properly administer their own medication. This one is big, since most dementia patients are not able to do this past the mild stage.
Can they cook or attend to meals without assistance?
Are they mobile and at risk of falls? Dementia patients often have balance issues.
Are they incontinent or need help with toileting. They may forget how to clean themselves or to flush toilet.
Do they know to get out of bed and return to bed at night. They may have sleeping issues that need supervision.
Are they resistant to staff who try to help them? Dementia patients often refuse to allow baths, medication, meals, etc. Memory Care units are more willing to work with this and are trained to redirect and convince the resident to comply.
There are other things to consider. You will likely get many other ideas here. Sometimes the behavior of the resident can become so difficult that the family receives lots of phone calls regarding problems. It becomes clear their current environment is not sufficient.