When is the appropriate time to place my mother with declining Alzheimer's in an assisted living facility?

My mother was recently when her physical and mental health continued to deteriorate and became overwhelming for my sister who was her live in caretaker. She refused to cooperate with workers sent out by the Visiting Nurses' Association, would not approve of in home help, continuously canceled doctor's appointments, and refused to eat or let my sister bathe her.

The final straw came when she first reported my sister as a trespasser, then later reported that my sister had assaulted her. The family decided that it was way past time to have her placed in a home. Although she keeps insisting that she wants to return home, her doctor has declared that she is mentally unstable and unable to make decisions in her own best interests. It has been a relief for everyone to have her placed in a facility.

I moved my mother to an assisted living facility when the doctor and nurses told me that she could not be by herself during the day and that she would need someone with her at all times. Please research all facilities with the Department of Aging and Disability (DADS). DADS can send you the most recent violation report on any facility. Visit the facility more than just once and talk to the patients on how they like the facility.

Based on my own move with Mom - I'd move her while she still has the capacity to learn her way around and get acquainted with others. If possible, take things from home that will be familiar to her, blankets on her bed, photos,