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
[email protected] 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.
*If I am consenting on behalf of someone else, I have the proper authorization to do so. By clicking Get My Results, you agree to our
Privacy Policy. You also consent to receive calls and texts, which may be autodialed, from us and our customer communities. Your consent is not a condition to using our service. Please visit our
Terms of Use. for information about our privacy practices.
The truly happy few have taken the time to set up a solid support network so they can have a productive, enjoyable life. Those are exceptions to the rule.
The rest of us, I venture to say, are professional jugglers masquerading to be happy and displaying a teflon kind of attitude to make it seem it's all under control. Half the time, it isn't.
Happiness is not totally within our control (even if we are president of a great nation). We have some innate characteristics that predispose us to melancholy or optimism. And events outside of ourselves influence us. But we can do noble things without being happy.
And I don't think we all mean exactly the same thing by "happiness."
I was a willing caregiver to my husband. I did it by choice. I came to take great satisfaction in influencing the quality of his life. We grew very close. It was a rewarding (and exhausting and frustrating and expensive) experience. I would make the same choice again. But happy? That is too superficial to describe the rewards and too pollyannaish to describe the reality.
Im so glad that Blannie is happy but sometimes its not just the caregiving that makes us unhappy but our own lives on top of it.
I was glad I was able to take the dementia journey with my husband. I'm glad I can give my sister respite by caring for my mother one weekend a month. And there are moments that I am happy when she seems to be enjoying herself.
But overall? I agree with keppelish. Happy caregiver is an oxymoron.
(I would do the caregiving again in a heartbeat. Not everything in life has to make me happy.)
Family is important to me and I'm lucky to have this time with my Mom..
See All Answers