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.
Everything your Mom is experiencing now is what my Mom went through for a month. Then Mom got a UTI which made everything worse. The hospital doctor recommended Hospice so we set that up.
Now into the end of our second month and we are seeing changes that really are surprising us. Mom is now feeding herself and eating solid foods. That's all she can do for herself, but that's impressive on its own.
This evening when I went to visit Mom she asked if I was at work today [my gosh first time in 2 months she had remembered], and smiled saying her hair needs to be cut [which it does], and she asked if it had rained today. Even the nurses/aides were remarking about how Mom has improved.
Then she was having some type of delirium, tugging at her clothes, flinging her arms, then fell to sleep. So we quietly left her, and like with your Mom, she won't remember I was even there :(
It may be towards the end, but she is living with these challenges, a better way to think of it instead of dying from the challenges. Imop, hoping that did not offend anyone.
Best to you and your Mom.
From your description of her behavior, you may want to have a discussion with her doctor about having her evaluated for hospice.
It's hard...
But not every fall starts the beginning of the end. My husband fell repeatedly in the BEGINNING of his journey with dementia -- and lived another nine years.
My mother fell and broke her hip (or more likely her hip broke and she fell) in the nh. In the hospital she was delirious and they recommended hospice care. She returned to the nh on hospice care. She improved and after about 3 months she "graduated" from hospice and is doing fairly well, 18 months later. Her dementia is worsening slowly, but physically she is doing well.
I don't think it is possible to generalize about falls and the end of life.
Getting hospice care in the nh was very helpful as I see it. A huge benefit is that all red tape is cut. They thought she needed a special mattress ... she got it the same day. When she could be transferred out of bed they got a special geri chair for her right now. They wanted to try a different pain med? It didn't have to wait for the nh doctor to approve it and insurance to approve it and someone to deliver it. She had it within an hour. This alone was worth signing up for hospice! Then she got extra attention. The nh staff still cared for her, but there was an extra check by the hospice nurse and there were volunteers who painted her nails and sat with her. Mom's nh is a very caring place, but short-staffed like nearly every facility. Extra attention was worthwhile!
My husband was on hospice at home, for 5 weeks before he died. That was a very comforting addition to his care, too.
At the nursing home when Mom was talking saying things that didn't happen, or thinking she was in a hotel in another State, I just agreed with her instead of trying to correct her.... so much easier that way.
I believe the Staff noticed how I was dealing with Mom and me not freaking out over the little things, that has made it easier talking with the Staff. Whenever the Staff calls about Mom yet again falling out of bed, I take it in stride, I know there isn't much any of us can do, this is just part of dementia process... maybe up Mom's meds a bit to calm her down.
But things really seemed to escalate with her after that. I think when they start falling thats usually an indication of something. In my Mom's case CT scans did not show any signs of stroke or brain bleeds. Just normal brain decline for someone in their nineties.
Genesis, might the HOA be OK with a temporary ramp (if that is what is needed)? It would be easy to remove when you move.
Does your wife use a wheelchair? After many falls my husband was thrilled to be able to safely scoot around in his wheelchair. It restored a measure of independence. His doctor warned that he should do some walking, too, so as not to loose the strength to transfer to bed, the toilet, etc. It worked wonderfully for him.
After my mother's hip broke in the nursing home she was wheelchair-bound. But an aide came and wheeled her to all the activities and meals. She could even have her hair done in the wheelchair. Mom was content and lived a couple more years.
My Mom went to rehab after her 2nd fall where Medicare paid for the first 20 days, but since she wasn't responding to any type of therapy, after the 20 days she was put in as self-pay which my parents could afford.
I am the same as you are, my home isn't elder friendly, in fact there are days the house doesn't like me :P Plus my age and my physical health as I am in my own age decline. Heck, if I fall, is Mom going to pick me up???
See All Answers