Annab849: Contact the COA (Council on Aging) in your locality. There they should have an elder case worker and also a social worker on staff. Start there for a needs assessment for your elderly family member.
I would first evaluate the dangers existing in where they are now. Are they unstable on their feet and have stairs to climb? Do they have dementia and wander if left alone. Is cooking a problem - leaving gas on, a burner with pot on it? Can they take meds, get dressed, in/out of bed, in/out of shower without assistance or someone observing?
Bottom line, are you fearful for their safety if you are not there? If yes, it's time to have someone in the home with them or at least a certain amount of in-home care. And if that's not available or affordable, it may be time to use the assets to get in to facility care (assisted living, nursing home, etc). When the money runs out, apply for NH medicaid bed.
And keep in mind, if medicaid bed looks like it would be likely - don't try to sell off assets less than market value or give things away. That kind of activity triggers a penalty for a number of months equal to what was given away - medicaid will not pay until penalty served.
Care decisions are, in the end, and sadly, often cost driven. If an elderly person qualifies for independent living>Assisted Living>Memory Care they are lucky indeed. It means they likely were able to tuck away upwards of a million for their end of life care.
If not, the decisions are made in other ways. Tell us about your own individual, who you are going to provide the best care for, and their circumstances. We can better help on a case by case basis rather than attempting to write a treatise on the best care for the elderly.
The first thing is to determine how much help is needed. Can they do all the ADL's (Activities of Daily Living) dressing, grooming, cooking.... Next would be are they safe in the home that they are currently in. Are there stairs? Is there a bathroom that is accessible? Are there wide halls and wide doorways? Carpet can be a trip hazard so hardwood, tile, laminate is better. The next would be to determine if they need Part time help or Full time help. If part time how much time and what are the hours that help is needed? There are places that will do a "needs assessment". You can check with the local Area Agency on Aging or call the local Senior Service Center and ask about what help is available and if an assessment can be done. the ultimate and sometimes difficult thing is Can my LO remain at home or is placement needed and if so is it Assisted Living, Memory Care or Skilled Nursing.
Bottom line, are you fearful for their safety if you are not there? If yes, it's time to have someone in the home with them or at least a certain amount of in-home care. And if that's not available or affordable, it may be time to use the assets to get in to facility care (assisted living, nursing home, etc). When the money runs out, apply for NH medicaid bed.
And keep in mind, if medicaid bed looks like it would be likely - don't try to sell off assets less than market value or give things away. That kind of activity triggers a penalty for a number of months equal to what was given away - medicaid will not pay until penalty served.
If not, the decisions are made in other ways.
Tell us about your own individual, who you are going to provide the best care for, and their circumstances. We can better help on a case by case basis rather than attempting to write a treatise on the best care for the elderly.
Can they do all the ADL's (Activities of Daily Living) dressing, grooming, cooking....
Next would be are they safe in the home that they are currently in.
Are there stairs?
Is there a bathroom that is accessible?
Are there wide halls and wide doorways?
Carpet can be a trip hazard so hardwood, tile, laminate is better.
The next would be to determine if they need Part time help or Full time help. If part time how much time and what are the hours that help is needed?
There are places that will do a "needs assessment". You can check with the local Area Agency on Aging or call the local Senior Service Center and ask about what help is available and if an assessment can be done.
the ultimate and sometimes difficult thing is
Can my LO remain at home or is placement needed and if so is it Assisted Living, Memory Care or Skilled Nursing.
These questions are just the tip of the iceberg.