Physical Safety First

This is the most critical benchmark to apply.  It’s a simple question to ask yourself, “Are he/she/they safe living at home alone?”

Would they know what to do in case of an emergency?  And would they be capable of taking those actions?

If they fell anywhere in their home, do they wear a call button to push for help?  Will they remember to do so, and how to, if they panic?

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Music Associations:  most of us associate music with important events in our lives and will have a wide range of emotions sparked by a song we remember from a certain event or time in our lives.  Hearing the tune evokes a memory and this is why some with memory loss may be able to suddenly step up and sing a song from their childhood or young adult years.  Caregivers can search their itunes for songs from the time period of when the senior was a teenager or sometimes church hymns also can be very memorable.

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Both doctor and hospice nurse are responsible for the patient’s health, but while doctors strive to keep patients alive, the hospice nurse focuses on keeping patients comfortable as they die.

The idea of formalized hospice care was accepted into mainstream medical care in the United States only in the past 20 years.

The term “hospice” was first applied to specialized care for dying patients in 1967. States were given the option of including hospice care in their Medicaid programs in 1986; it became a nationally guaranteed benefit in 1993.

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Many older relatives live in their memories. Encourage them to talk about holidays gone by. If they keep albums, ask to see the pictures. They may have some wonderful traditions from their childhood that you can incorporate into your own family’s plans.

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So, what exactly is an assisted living facility? Perhaps the best definition for assisted living can be found within Oregon’s care philosophy. It states: Assisted living… is a program that promotes resident self-direction and participation in decisions that emphasize choice, dignity, privacy, individuality, independence and homelike surroundings. Often seen as the best of both worlds, assisted livings provide their residents with the privacy and comforts of home, but also provides the necessary means to assist in activities of daily living (ADL).  Most residents of ALs need more supervision and assistance than can be received at home without outside support, but do not require the intensive medical or custodial care that is provided in a skilled nursing facility.

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If your loved one has Alzheimer’s or any other dementing illness, he or she can still help in the kitchen. Stirring batters, pouring in chocolate chips to the cookie dough, and placing little candies on cakes and other goodies are helpful ways of including your loved ones. If your elderly loved one is capable of baking by herself, you can do one thing, while she does another.

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As you’ve seen, long-term care is expensive. Even a temporary stay in an assisted living facility can derail years of careful financial planning. Although costs may vary significantly depending upon where you live, a family’s assets can be quickly depleted.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one year of care in a nursing home (based on the 2006 national average) will cost over $62,000 for a semi-private room. One year of care at home, assuming someone needs periodic personal care help from a home health aide (the average is about three times a week), could cost almost $16,000 a year. I’ve seen folks spend close to $100,000 per year on 24-hour in-home care.

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Before you can even begin the process of evaluating assisted living, it’s im- portant to familiarize yourself with all the terms. There are many types of care ranging from skilled nursing to senior living. They all vary based on the level of assistance required by the resident.

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A geriatric screening is a comprehensive assessment designed to optimize an older person’s ability to enjoy good health, improve their overall quality of life, reduce the need for hospitalization and/or institutionalization, and enable them to live independently for as long as possible.

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Has your loved one lost interest in reading, playing cards, or other hobbies where clear vision is required (embroidery or television viewing, for example)?

Are their clothes, shoes or socks frequently mismatched?

If they still drive a car, are they getting lost more often (because they can’t see the street signs)?

Has your loved one started to fall, trip or bump into things more frequently?

Once again, a primary concern here is one of safety. How safe can your loved one be, if they can’t clearly hear or see the world around them? And if they’re driving, it can be catastrophic.

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