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.
Barb’s idea is a good one. Geriatricians are primary physicians for the elderly. Chances are though, that even that doctor will refer you to someone else, probably a neurologist. She needs testing and evaluation.
I'm sorry her doctor let you down. Seems to be the norm nowadays.
But I don't mean to be cynical: of course assessment is essential, and investigation (preferably leading to diagnosis) is in turn an essential part of that.
In defence of your mother's doctor, what I suspect he is trying to combat is expedient labelling. He is considering your mother's best interests. A label that will certainly restrict her freedom of action but will not in itself contribute to improving her quality of life is not in her best interests.
I would argue with both the seminar and, respectfully, with your mother's doctor.
The first thing to do is not "to get the patient diagnosed." The first thing is to investigate the patient's symptoms and determine their probable cause(s). Go looking for Alzheimer's and you are sure to find it. Go asking questions, and you are more likely to end up with a more accurate, more certain diagnosis which will lead to a much better care plan tailored to her individual needs.
The doctor needs to be more patient (adjective) and clearer in what he is communicating. Go back to him armed with a detailed, well-documented description of symptoms, incidents and concerns and ask him to start again.
Call the local Area Agency on Aging; they may maintain a list of geriatrics doctors.
Call good local nursing homes and find out who their medical directors are. They are often geriatrics docs.
Independent and Assisted Living facilities often have geriatrician who have on-site office hours a few times a week.
In my journey with mom with dementia, the best advice and guidance we got was from geriatric psychiatrists; you might consider seeking out that specialty first.
Look for a geriatrician who has a social worker on staff. They can be invaluable.
Alternatively, sometimes eldercare attorneys have switched on staff who can help with planning.
she is now almost 91 and is back to how she was maybe 6 years ago.
I know this is all unchartered territory, but once she has the right doctor you will feel confident in the advice you are given. Good luck and God Bless.
Also, it's not the responsibility of any physician to "make a plan" for an elderly person with dementia. The family or POA needs to determine whether they want to try the medication, to care for the person at home, to place them in assisted living, etc.
BTW - if anyone feels that an elderly person is unsafe as a driver, all they need to do is to phone the DMV and report it. They will give a driving test to the person - and "pull" their license if they are deemed to be unsafe.
See All Answers