My Mum is 93 and was doing well in the ALF. She always had difficulty getting around but used her walker. The past 5 months she has been getting weaker, losing her balance and there have been falls, uses a wheelchair to go to meals, and her short term memory is a little off on some days. ALF says it's time to move out because of the many falls.
There are better ALF's with a lot more services and staff that will take care of her. I know there are no ways to prevent falls in these places. How do you know which is best for her. A skilled nursing home is to hospital like and I don't know if they would care for her or just keep her in a wheelchair all alone. How can we make the right decision?
There is a new local ALF with more services, in house therapy and 24 hr nursing staff that I looked at. It is very nice and I know she will be very happy there with all of their services.
I keep wondering if it's the right choice. How do you know when Memory Care should be considered when the only issues are balance, weak legs and occasional short term memory.
But how new, exactly? And if it's brand spanking new, does it belong to an organisation with existing facilities that you can also go and check? The thing is, a clean slate has advantages but there's also a lot to be said for a reliable track record.
The thing to check about your mother's memory issues is a) how fast they're changing and b) has she been assessed and their cause identified? If it's been possible to rule out dementia as such, she probably won't need memory care. But it's important to think this point through, because you don't want to have to uproot her again once she's just settled down nicely.
So - I would look very hard several times at a new facility, and ideally go and visit some longer established ones, too. When you're considering the best options for a lady of 93 you can't afford to think "time will tell."
I guess I'm just looking for a second opinion on what to do.
Where I am (in Canada) professionals assess and decided what level of care is needed. Then we are given three choices and when a bed/room opens up in one of them the move is made. The health care system is heavily government subsidized. It has worked well for my mother. There are many private pay assisted living facilities as well and mother was several years in those. Once she needed a higher level of care, she was assessed and placed in an ALF specialized to her needs. Now she is in an NH where she will remain till the end.
I guess what I am saying is consult the professionals as to the best placement for your mum. Good luck and let us know your decision and how it works out,
If you've done all your research and you're happy, go for it! Has your mother had a chance to look, too?