Physical and mental screenings for assisted living: Will my mom pass?
I’m in the process of helping my 81-year old mother apply to a continuing care community, which will include their own physical and mental health screenings. I’ve noticed my mom’s memory decline over the past few years (forgetting common words, names, and misplacing things), and more recently am seeing loss in executive function (calendar management, forgetting the day of the week, unable to learn new things or follow simple instructions, use her iPhone and computer effectively). The community will require that my mom initially be able to live independently to be accepted, and certainly, she can still bathe, dress, cook, shop, drive, walk without help, go up and down stairs holding a railing, etc. So I wonder what degree of mental decline will keep her from being accepted. Does anyone have experience with having gone through this?
Is she applying for Independent Living or ALF?
Because typically you do not cook in ALF. Meals are provided as is cleaning, laundry, medications if needed.
It is unlikely that mom will fail. My brother, with his early Lewy's was fine, did very well.
Forgetfulness and mental decline is fine. But certain things such as wandering of campus is not.
Attend with her. Allow for exam without you present as well. They will love your input and to interview you regarding her limitations and so on. Very valuable.
From all you say I think she will pass with flying colors.
I hope you will update us.
When you go in be sure to ask about levels of care and what they consist of.
Ask about raises in price, how often and what to expect.
Ask about notifications of injury and how that is done should fall occur.
Just feel free to ask a lot of questions and to get their packet on what they provide and what the cost is.
Good luck.
It’s a CCRC, so she will go in living independently, then move up through care levels as needed through end of life. Monthly fee only increases about 4% per year. 1 meal per day is included, so she will need to prepare other meals she wants, or pay out of pocket to get them at the various dining spots on campus. Lots of amenities and activities included.
Another type of CCRC also has differing care levels, and you are guaranteed a spot as you need to move, but monthly charges differ based on care level: e.g., independent, memory care, assisted living, nursing home. The independent living entrance fee may be 80-100% refunded when the person dies or moves to a higher level of care. For some of these CCRCs, people can enter directly from the community to their memory care, nursing home, or assisted living if there is a vacancy, though priority is given to folks who are already living there. These types of CCRCs will also have screening for prospective independent living residents, but this is more to insure that they can truly function as needed in that environment, e.g., get themselves to the dining room, live alone safely in their apartment, etc. I've visited friends in one of these places, and there are a lot of independent living residents using walkers, even a few in wheelchairs. Some people who aren't necessarily ready or wanting assisted living will hire some extra personal care help while still living in the independent section, much as one would do if living at home. (That often happens when there is a couple and one has care needs and the other one doesn't.)
1. You pay from 200k+ plus for a condo.
2. You then prepay another 300k, which is about 5 years of “hoa” at 7000k a month. It’s nonrefundable. You can opt to pay 650k, 80 percent of which would be refundable if you happen to die or need to leave.
3. There is no locked mc. There is a tiny al that consists of small rooms, which you have to pay double for. Otherwise, it’s on you to hire aides from wherever to help with adls.
3b. The whole community is geared toward independent living.
My mom lived in AL with early dementia until it became moderate and her mobility declined at the same time to where she was in a wheelchair full time. Then I was able to segue her easily into the ALs Memory Care building across the parking lot that she was already familiar with.
Best of luck to you and mom.