Are you sure you want to exit? Your progress will be lost.
Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
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.
✔
I acknowledge and authorize
✔
I consent to the collection of my consumer health data.*
✔
I consent to the sharing of my consumer health data with qualified home care agencies.*
*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.
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.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
I'm already battling to get mom (Alzheimer's) to eat but now her dentures are causing ulcers on her bottom gum from ill fitting. Dentist has previously refitted them, but says her gums are too receded to do anything else. Any advice?
I'm so sorry! This is so frustrating for everybody. My dad had the same problem. Sometimes he had to leave them out to let the gums heal. There was nothing more the dentist could do. When his mouth healed, we'd go back to fixodent to keep them in for eating, but it was always a battle.
There are pads that help some people. They fill up space and protect gums. But they were only occasionally satisfactory for Dad. We kept trying everything available, but there was no great fix. Leaving the teeth out while the mouth heals seems to help but then it starts all over again.
I'm afraid this will be a constant battle - trying to maintain gum health and balance that with nutrition and in some cases self-esteem. Dad hated leaving his teeth out.
I wish I had a magic fix. Maybe someone else has a better idea. Take care, Carol
Leave them out until the gums heal and you can get a prescription for Kenalog (dental paste). As the bone structure changes due to bone loss one's dentures and partials are bound to change. This requires a remodeling of the denture. If the dentist won't do it, I take my Dremel and slightly re-contour the shape until it feels great for my partials.
At some point in his dementia, my dad had to just quit wearing his dentures and go to eating soft foods only. There was no fitting of them anymore, because he could not describe 'feelings' or fit. Same with his glasses. Unable to go through an eye exam and concentrate enough to describe which lens helped him see better either.... So no dentures in, and we just kept the old glasses. The brain in dementia, doesn't the send the right signals to the eyes anyhow....and the field of vision just becomes more and more narrow. I think that explains why so many just become more and more inward and incommunicative. My Dad normally loved to watch birds and look at all things in nature. In later stages of dementia, I could stand right next to him, looking at a big bird out the window on the fence, and he could not even see it....until it flew....so on his own....no enjoyment of nature anymore. If someone was communicating and leading him to look...it would work.
And another thing about eating....We noticed my Dad, not eating well in his facility.....but it was the brain, sending strange signals to him about the eating. He would forget he was looking at food. He would think the food was something else or that it wasn't even there, but was part of the plate. If someone sat ad communicated while he ate, and kept the redirection going, then he would eat well. One day, while visiting he said he was hungry....the food was good and he just hogged it all down. I said, "Dad, do you want somemore?" His response....like a child, " Sure, but look.....it's all gone so I can't have more...." He had lost the notion that there would be more somewhere or he could ask for more and it would be put on his plate. That was a wake up to me, as to why these people, with no family visiting who understand and oversee their loved ones activities, just fade away and die. Staff cannot sit there, one on one through every meal with every person....and just encourage them about eating or think about offering more food. I think every facility ought to make it a practice that if someone empties their place, they are automatically given a little more and assessed for how they eat it....but what I witnessed, so many times, was....if someone stopped eating, or started being interested in wandering away or playing with a napkin....instead of redirecting back to eating, staff were quick to pick up that plate....another chore finished....and get on with the next thing on their list, rather than realizing that FOOD is what keeps people alive....and GOOD food is usually the highlight of the day to any elderly person, whether or not they verbalize that.
My grandmother never wore her dentures unless she had company or was going out. She survived quite well without them by modifying her diet and sticking to softer foods.
I wear an upper plate and while it fits ok, I find that when I use Polident liberally, they don't move around at all and stay tight all day long. Best wishes. Grace + Peace,
My Moms dentures are ill fitting as well. She had an ulcer at one time but it cleared up. Her doctor told her she must use Seabond cushion strips or a paste in which to hold them in place. It will help keep the dentures from sliding around and reduce friction against the gums. Good luck with that. My mom refused to use anything. She continues to remove her teeth after meals too. Hopefully we don't have any future issues like this.
I know a few people with dementia who are doing fine without their dentures, due to fitting issues They seem to be able to eat pretty well and not just pureed food.
One of my friends told me that when her mom had Alzheimers she did not use her dentures for many years and that she ate just fine. She said the bony part of the gum worked for her mom and that she ate just about anything she wanted except for hard or tough food like steak.
If it just irritation on gums or palate, I spray a little Colloidal silver on the dentures before I put them on and on my gums and palate. Colloidal silver is safe to swallow and more effective against all infections, cuts, insect bites, cold sores, sore throat, etc. than any other remedy I know; it acts fast and is totally harmless.
Why on earth can't they make something for this situation, like a cushy plastic base for the teeth. Something that could act kind of like memory foam does and mold itself to slight variations over time. These wouldn't be dentures for "everybody" but for this kind of situation. If they can put a man on the moon....
My son just got a retainer after his braces came off. It's a softish clear plastic tray. It's not the rigid fake pink plastic piece with the big wire on it like I had. The right dentist needs to get on the stick here.
Do tour a assisted living residence...they always have a dentist that works closely with them...that dentist would be who I would take my parent to...i was blessed with a fabulous dentist that loves older patients...not all dentists have the patience ..so find one that loves and respects the elderly
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.
There are pads that help some people. They fill up space and protect gums. But they were only occasionally satisfactory for Dad. We kept trying everything available, but there was no great fix. Leaving the teeth out while the mouth heals seems to help but then it starts all over again.
I'm afraid this will be a constant battle - trying to maintain gum health and balance that with nutrition and in some cases self-esteem. Dad hated leaving his teeth out.
I wish I had a magic fix. Maybe someone else has a better idea.
Take care,
Carol
And another thing about eating....We noticed my Dad, not eating well in his facility.....but it was the brain, sending strange signals to him about the eating. He would forget he was looking at food. He would think the food was something else or that it wasn't even there, but was part of the plate. If someone sat ad communicated while he ate, and kept the redirection going, then he would eat well. One day, while visiting he said he was hungry....the food was good and he just hogged it all down. I said, "Dad, do you want somemore?" His response....like a child, " Sure, but look.....it's all gone so I can't have more...." He had lost the notion that there would be more somewhere or he could ask for more and it would be put on his plate. That was a wake up to me, as to why these people, with no family visiting who understand and oversee their loved ones activities, just fade away and die. Staff cannot sit there, one on one through every meal with every person....and just encourage them about eating or think about offering more food. I think every facility ought to make it a practice that if someone empties their place, they are automatically given a little more and assessed for how they eat it....but what I witnessed, so many times, was....if someone stopped eating, or started being interested in wandering away or playing with a napkin....instead of redirecting back to eating, staff were quick to pick up that plate....another chore finished....and get on with the next thing on their list, rather than realizing that FOOD is what keeps people alive....and GOOD food is usually the highlight of the day to any elderly person, whether or not they verbalize that.
Best wishes. Grace + Peace,
Bob
One of my friends told me that when her mom had Alzheimers she did not use her dentures for many years and that she ate just fine. She said the bony part of the gum worked for her mom and that she ate just about anything she wanted except for hard or tough food like steak.
My son just got a retainer after his braces came off. It's a softish clear plastic tray. It's not the rigid fake pink plastic piece with the big wire on it like I had. The right dentist needs to get on the stick here.
See All Answers