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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.
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V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com 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.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
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Balance is regulated in the inner ear. It can be as simple as earwax, or ear infection, which can be addressed. At 95 it is more likely calcifications in the fine inner ear or mini-strokes in the brain. Hint: if she has a hearing aid, be sure it and the ear canal are clean.
In addition to the suggestions above, perhaps her medication is causing the unsteadiness. Has she started a new medication by chance? Lots of meds can cause dizziness and balance issues. Worth getting checked out.
These are all good answers and I would like to expand. Mom had a TIA which left her weak on her right side. She could not stand up right for any period of time, leaning to the right and having to sit down. She is receiving home therapy 4 times a week and is improving, except for listening. Here lies the problem. She has the Superman syndrome. She is invincible. She is 89 and no matter what anyone tells her to do to stay safe, she knows better. Famous last words, "I will not fall, I don't need to do all that". All those other times were a fluke, right?. One therapist asked, "She's a little stubborn isn't she"? Ya think? "I've been doing this or that all my life, nothing has changed". In her defense, her mother and grandmother were the same way so she gets it honestly. Even still, it drives us nuts. Good luck.
Ask your Mom why she feels like she is going to fall.... it could be an inner ear problem.... an eyesight problem.... weak coordination because of her age, women don't have that strong upper body strength... the wrong type of shoes, etc.
She could have neuropathy or she could have a spinal fracture that is causing one hip to be a little higher than the other. Could be also something simple like her shoes may need to have a thicker sole or a wedge type heel.
Have her evaluated for the unsteadiness by a physician. As others have suggested it could be inner ear, it could be a structural weakness, it could be neuropathy or it could just be weakness due to old age. Is she weaker on one side more than the other? It could be a stroke or a TIA. She needs a doc for this.
We had my dad evaluated and found that several of his meds listed dizziness as a side effect. Add them together, and you have LOTS of dizziness and lightheadedness as a side effect. So we changed meds. Then we noticed that he seemed more dizzy and unsteady when he first stood up. Back to the doc, who said it was likely postural hypotension (lowblood pressure on standing) and she took him off his blood pressure meds. He is doing much better now.
DginGA, same here with my Dad, he was feeling lightheaded when he stood up and eventually did fall in his driveway due to delayed reaction [yep at 92 he still has a driveway...sigh]. The doctors at the ER eventually removed one of Dad's blood pressure meds and now he sounds a bit better. And he is finally using a walker :)
All great answers here. I'd just add a couple possibilities:
Maybe she's just so afraid of falling that she's being too deliberate and not letting her body do what it does naturally. (It's not hard to imagine after having broken both hips.)
Or perhaps she has dementia and has simply forgotten how.
She may also have Parkinson's Disease, and it's progressed to the point where it's effecting her stride. If she also "freezes," not uncommon with PD, that may throw her off balance as well.
I wish you well. Mom can't walk with a walker, a gait belt and me. It greatly increases the burden of caring for her.
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 ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com 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.
Hint: if she has a hearing aid, be sure it and the ear canal are clean.
We had my dad evaluated and found that several of his meds listed dizziness as a side effect. Add them together, and you have LOTS of dizziness and lightheadedness as a side effect. So we changed meds. Then we noticed that he seemed more dizzy and unsteady when he first stood up. Back to the doc, who said it was likely postural hypotension (lowblood pressure on standing) and she took him off his blood pressure meds. He is doing much better now.
Maybe she's just so afraid of falling that she's being too deliberate and not letting her body do what it does naturally. (It's not hard to imagine after having broken both hips.)
Or perhaps she has dementia and has simply forgotten how.
She may also have Parkinson's Disease, and it's progressed to the point where it's effecting her stride. If she also "freezes," not uncommon with PD, that may throw her off balance as well.
I wish you well. Mom can't walk with a walker, a gait belt and me. It greatly increases the burden of caring for her.