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"In-home health care or assisted living?"

  • Proudmary
    Posted: Feb 16, 2009 10:24 AM
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    Proudmary
    Denver, CO
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    I am trying to decide between a retirement/assisted living facility for my mother or hiring in-home care for her. Anyone have advice? Also what's best way to find a quality assisted living community?

Replies

  • #1
    Pokerface007
    Posted: Feb 17, 2009 12:11 PM
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    Pokerface007
    Atlantic City, NJ
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    There are a lot of factors to consider, including: Is your mother willing to move or does she want to stay in her home? Do you have access to quality in-home care? Is there a good assisted-living community near her or you? What is the financial situation? How is her health and do you anticipate she may need more care as time goes on? If you decide on assisted living, I encourage you to look at a Continuing Care Retirement Community. She can move from independent to assisted living, and if necessary to a full nursing home without leaving the community or the friends she will meet there. Moving once is hard enough, but having to move again for health reasons is very hard for many people. Also CCRCs tend to have a whole range of activities and outings for your mom to chose from to get her involved in her new community..

  • #2
    Snowbird
    Posted: Feb 18, 2009 07:16 AM
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    Snowbird
    Greenwich, CT
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    I had to make the same decision for my mom. aplaceformom.com was a great help. You can fill out an assessment form to determine the level of care she needs. Also they have free advisers you can speak to about facilities in your area. Eldercare is also a good resource.

  • #3
    GrandDiva
    Posted: Feb 18, 2009 06:01 PM
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    GrandDiva
    Asheville, NC
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    Definitely check Medicare.gov. This site has added a 5 star quality rating for facilities of all levels of care. They rate by overall , health inspections, staffing and quality measures. Just go to the bottom of the home page and click on "Compare Nursing Homes in Your Area." You can search by name, zipcode, etc.

  • #4
    joanie
    Posted: Feb 28, 2009 10:17 PM
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    joanie
    New Milford, NJ
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    My mother had open heart surgery and was in the early stages of Alzheimers. My sister and I thought it best for her to remain in her own home in Florida (we live in NJ) so we hired home healthcare workers 24/7. Some were from an agency and some worked independently, however, I recommend using an agency because they have many caregivers available on short notice.

    Our situation worked out well for awhile but then we had to deal with many stressful issues: my mother and the daytime caregiver would get on each other's nerves after being together so much; sometimes a caregiver couldn't work her scheduled shift and we had to quickly find a substitute; sometimes it was difficult for my mother to deal with the different personalities of the caregivers...

    We eventually moved my mother to NJ to a wonderful facility that takes care of all her needs, helps her maintain her sense of self, provides activities that are both fun and stimulating, etc. thereby providing peace of mind for me and my sister. However, a good facility is costly and this must be taken into consideration as well.

  • #5
    kjohanns
    Posted: Apr 28, 2009 12:06 PM
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    kjohanns
    Austin, TX
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    Have you ever considered a Geriatric Care Manager? This field is the one-stop resource seniors and families need to gather information, implement care and monitor the care needed to stay safely at home. A comprehensive assessment provides a snap-shot of services needed today and helps to plan for future care. Experts relieve your stress, time and cost associated with research and management of senior care providers. You can utilize this service for seniors wanting to stay at home, or seniors needing placement. You can go to www.napgcm.com to find a Geriatric Care Manager in your area and to learn more about this service.

  • #6
    MaitreMedica
    Posted: Jun 18, 2009 03:22 PM
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    MaitreMedica
    Asbury, NJ
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    What does your mother want? What would you want? Her answer, may not be the easiest to satisfy and might need a large sacrifice but the rewards are worth it. I watch the sacrifices my close friends make for their parents who live with them, and need dialysis. I see the trials they go through providing home care and also the rewards they receive knowing they are returning the care they received to their parents even when they may not seem appreciative at times. It's a tough decision none-the-less. When my clients update their multi-story homes making them more accessible with our <a href="http://www.StairLiftProfessionals.com/maitre-medical-stairlifts.aspx">Stair lifts</a>, the dignity it provides with the ability to move about in their own home or your's is like being set free when aging continues to confine them. I wish you the best for you and your mother.

  • #7
    Molly
    Posted: Aug 04, 2009 02:25 PM
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    Molly
    Dallas, TX
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    Joanie's (#4) experience is typical. If you're hiring independent workers you will have to consistently "care manage" to make sure they come when they're supposed to and do what they need to do. If someone gets sick or needs a day off you will have to cover for the caregiver or find a substitute fast. And, of course, legally you will be obligated for the employer's share of their FICA and possible other taxes. It costs more to hire from an agency, but if it's a good one they will find substitutes and do some of the supervising, as well as take care of taxes and liability insurance. We have found that cost-wise, if the amount of care you need exceeds more than five or six hours, it is less expensive to move to an assisted living residence. Of course, nursing homes cost a lot more. It's unfortunate that we have to look at the costs, but things are what they are. The preferences of the senior is always the first consideration, but these preferences have to be balanced by the amount of resources available to pay for care.

  • #8
    cindyc
    Posted: Sep 14, 2009 10:51 AM
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    cindyc
    Broken Arrow, OK
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    I really appreciate your concern for your Mother. We too faced similar problem, we called professional nurses from<a href="http://www.oxford-healthcare.com">home care tulsa</a> and we are very much satisfied with their services.

  • #9
    Joy Griffin
    Posted: Feb 04, 2010 05:19 PM
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    Joy Griffin
    Naperville, IL
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    Check out Home Instead Senior Care - homeinstead.com - because they're a company and not an agency, they do criminal background checks, they manage the relationship between family and caregiver, they take care of all the taxes and paperwork, and they match the caregiver to your mom's preferences.

    The company also has a site http://www.makewayformom.com that has a cost calculator to help decide what's the best financial option for the family - having a caregiver, moving her in with family, or a facility

  • #10
    Boomer
    Posted: Jun 19, 2010 02:59 AM
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    Boomer
    Sodus, NY
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    My mom has memory issues. She wants to stay in her own home, but over the long run it will not be possible. We are trying to find a situation that will enable her to stay in her own home, but with assistance. Figuring out how to make her money last for the distance is the hardest part. Two elder law attorneys told me Florida is the best state for that- but my mother does not want to live in Florida. WhatsYourNameAgain.com has information on comparison of costs by state- that has been helpful. I am taking a road trip soon to a couple different states to check out the differences in elder care laws and costs.. any suggestions would be appreciated. My mom really wants to stay in her own home. I wish there was such a thing as an assisted living facility where poeple live in their own houses. Anyone know of one? Needs memory care.. Long Term Care won't pay for in home assistance, but will pay for assisted living..

  • #11
    dreamcare
    Posted: Feb 21, 2011 06:25 AM
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    dreamcare
    Elgin, IL
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    Dream Care Assisted Living LLC-Residential Care Home located in Plato Center Illinoi and Elgin Illinoi is a private group home dedicated to preserving dignity and quality of life for aging loved ones.

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    Dependable, highly-trained staff is always ready to help residents. Building strong, nurturing, trusting relationship is very important to them and residents. It is proven that in this type of setting, individuals eat better, sleep better and do not withdraw from daily activities.

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  • #12
    Janice10605
    Posted: Apr 11, 2012 04:21 PM
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    Janice10605
    Houston, TX
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    Choosing a caregiver is an important choice to make and one that should not be taken lightly. There are pros and cons to going with an agency and hiring a private caregiver. Do your research and find out what is best for you or your family member. If you choose to do a private caregiver check out: http://www.caregiverhr.com/. CaregiverHR will let you search and find a caregiver in your area. After you have found a caregiver, you can interview them, get references, and obtain a background check. This site can help you find multiple caregivers and choose the one that is right for you.

  • #13
    ztlights
    Posted: Aug 28, 2012 02:32 AM
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    ztlights
    51800
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