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.
Can you tell I'm a little bothered by my moms care giver?
Mom didn't seem to know who she was, though sister was friendly...and Mom will kiss just about anyone off the street. Mom was taking a nap when sister arrived, and sister visited at bedside. I ran quickly to the bank machine and came back, Mom was having a little fit, anxious about this stranger here trying to hold her hand. Anyway, she was blithering about letting her sleep, and then blithered in her sleep.
I rarely mention the two deadbeats, though admit I let out a few insults when things get rough around there. the "nobody ever helps me" rant, but even then I don't mention their names. They are NO THINGS to me now.
I often reinforce the names and photos of the supportive relatives, recycle their greeting cards with bogus new envelopes and phoney stamps. For the two good nieces, we sometimes visit via webcam.
Oh, of course I have a blog about that from a few weeks ago.,..
http://whendoesthegladstart.blogspot.com/2010/02/webcam-moms-favorite-video-user-herself.html
Was your mom glad to see her, and did she know who she was? Did you guys talk about her visit.
Which brings me to another question. I use to talk about my sister to my mom, after she got sick. Then one day I realized I was putting too much xtra stress on mom and I stopped. Did you ever do that?
However, this deadbeat has always bragged that she was the ONLY one who loved mom, and proved it with oversize bouquets, mylar balloons (what next, one that sings opera...yep, she found one and Wagner at that!), and presents that I would have to return: A passive agressive way of getting back at me.
She recently had a rough series of health and relationship disasters, and being unemployed for a few years. So, I gave her a little break when she was a jerk about scheduling (she is under the Public Guardian's thumb for this, but it doesn't do any good.). Finally I told her that her jerking us off about changing her visiting days and hours impacted my sister's visit (she changed her day to accomodate sister's wishes), and my whole day was focused on The VIsit. Then she cancelled. I was going to call the PG and suggest she post a cash bond, payable to ME when she was late or screwed up (again and again.)
So, she apparently "got it" and came when she first scheduled. She did not bring any one else. I think chiding letters from her daughter and her other sister perhaps finally made her realize that this was not to be a "get Carol's goat" endeavor. This was life and death.
For Valentine's Day she sent me a computer generated card that said I had a heart of gold and I took so good care of Mom...then I wanted to puke. Give me a break! So many times she's literally tried to sabotage the PG's rules, and to sink me at hearings.
Nevertheless, she as deadbeat DAUGHTER has a perfect legal right to see her mother. Who knows, she may disappear for another six months.
This change in seeing her mother and being genuinely helpful and attentive does not let her off the hook for eight years of giving me hell. There will be a reckoning one day for what she's done to ME (and by inference Mom).
Lilly I am with you on the visits. What will it hurt? It can only help plus one needs to know what's really going on with their parents. I know I need to know.
I will NEVER figure out how people can just turn their backs on their loved ones....even if they are not asked to be a caregiver - just visit once and awhile.
The years go by so fast and the time to show your love for someone is right now.
I cannot figure it out...maybe there are two camps of people: those who care and those who could not care less. I can't imagine just looking the other way and leaving my mom to care for herself....geeeezzz!
At this point, I'll take what I can get.
She's still not off the DEADBEAT list, but perhaps now that she's experienced the 24/7 amount of attention Mom takes, she'll be less of a total jerk.
"As of this date _______________, I relinquish all rights and obligations pertaining to visiting and the care of my elderly parents (names). These decisions could include (but not be limited to) treatment options, end of life decisions, placement in nursing home or other residence change, caregiver selection, administration and disposal of estate and property, and in-person/mail/phone visiting. I also relinquish all claims to monetary and property inheritance." ha ha ha.
Maybe if the deadbeats get a letter like this with instructions to get it signed and notarized, or visit the person with the document, and insist they go to notary with you, it might be a reality check for them. Hey, maybe they'd actually sign it, or be guilt ridden enough to change.
This "deadbeat rights" thing has got to stop.
I am sad for two reasons: Mom would like to see him and I have no other family members to bounce my ideas of off. I am left to second guess every serious decision I have to make. I am capable of doing it but it would be so much easier with some input.
However, I agree with all...you cannot force someone to care. This time in life, when parents are aging and need care, seriously reveals everyones true colors. Some step up...some step way back.
I think the proactive solution is to forget about the sibs...if they come great, if not, so be it. Find a local caregiver so you can have some respite. Mostly, do not waste anymore energy on non-interested sibs.
good luck.....
the right idea! Continued good luck. Keep up the deep breaths and counting to ten and know you are not alone. You are doing the right thing. And - I believe our parents know it even if we don't see that!
My DH and I live in the northeastern US, while my FIL lives in western Canada. My DH's brother and sister and their spouses live in my FIL's home province - one is only 30-45 minutes (by car or sky train) away and the other 4 hours by car or 30 minutes by commuter flight.
My DH and I used to fly out to see my FIL, twice a year for 14 days each time. (That's not including the 2 days for travel to and from!) When his condition worsened, we increased that to 3x a year for 20 days, each time. (My DH stays 14 days, but I stay the extra week.)
In any case, the family still thinks that's NOT ENOUGH!
And, yes... just in case you're wondering... we help pay for my FIL's care. In fact, we probably pay more than the others. (I may explain that some other time...)
court will say well they left ya one dollar !!! so what does that tell ya ???
my sweet ex sis in law says oh i ll come and sit with pa , !! bless her heart ! i love her !!! she stayed a whole week so i could sit up there with my husband and so my daughters could go to work ,,
and my sis finaly waited a whole week to ask me how is my husband , i didnt want to talk to her but i did , just to be nice , pa says to be nice , uhhhhh...
I was incensed my sis didn't help with either parent, tho she lives across the country, she could've contributed in some way. I thought about it, my sister never visited mom or dad whenever they were in the hospital, not ever. She'd only fly to see them if it suited her, not if they asked her to come. She flew to see dad when he had a near fatal heart attack and waited 6 yrs to fly back . . . to his funeral. She didn't want to help. Last yr I asked her how she sleeps at night, still waiting for an answer.
I agree with the others, you can't make your sibs visit or do what is right. They don't think like you do. It's not fair. For what it's worth and it's worth a lot to me, being able to lay my head on the pillow at night and know that I did the best I could, brings peace. Sis is on her own in that area.
'
You call them to set up a conversation. You tell them what your mother did that day so they can inquire directly, "heard you saw Sesame Street today and laughed at Elmo and Mr. Noodles." Or, "did you enjoy the new yogurt you've been having for breakfast?"
They have to carry the load of the conversation from now on, and might be lucky to get a YES/NO answer, or a laugh. Both of my nieces know how to make Mom laugh, and they are very "hugs and kissy" over the phone, and in person also.
This is something else you can do, cheating. Get a bunch of funny greeting cards and stamp and address them to your mom. Send to the siblings and have them write lovey dovey stuff inside, even if it's "when I saw this card, I thought you'd enjoy it. The squirrel reminds me of the time blah blah."
There are many things I do like this for the relatives who DO care, but it might also work on the ones who don't, and perhaps get them more comfortable being around your mother. It's amazing how low the threshold is for when abandonment kicks in. Could be as early as the time when car keys are taken away, or when someone has to pay bills for them. Perhaps they don't know that another dozen years or more of meaningful life is ahead of them, meaningful if someone else cares enough to generate meaning and connections, that is.
Myself, I work with the sincere relatives in this way so they can have more meaningful encounters, but have "disowned" the two thieving deadbeats and their toadies. (Love that word. It's almost worth having a toady connected to the deadbeat sister just so I can use the word!) A toady is someone who does the grunt work, the snitching, the dirty work, someone who delivers messages on behalf of the deadbeat so the deadbeat doesn't have to face reality...a kisserupper to the bully.
'