I ask very direct questions only to get vague answers.
Here is a recent answer I got to a page long email with multiple questions:
Thank you for contacting ____ Consulting. I provide assessment, evaluations, discussion of options, and community resources, to point people in the right direction in developing a care plan; I do not provide on going care management/crisis management. I'm not sure exactly what nursing agency:evaluation you're referring to, so I can't address the cost of that service. I hope this information is helpful.
Her answer had almost nothing to do with what I asked her. And the nursing agency I referred to did the same. Perhaps I am not asking the right questions, but I was hoping there was SOMEONE out there who could help me, since I just started down this very scary, confusing, frustrating road.
The only people who are clear on what they do are the companion care people. The rest seem to want to charge $90 - $150 an hour and won't tell you in layman's terms what you will get. I don't have money to throw away. Why can't they say in plain English what they will do with that money and why don't they all use the same jargon if they are going to use jargon?
I keep seeing ads for the state dept. on aging, but their website is hard to navigate and just provides too much information. I wish they had an 800 number to call so I could tell the person what is happening and they could tell me where to start. Our local agency on aging doesn't return phone calls or emails, so they are no help either. I guess both places spend all their money on PR, and not on actually helping people. Sorry for the rant. I just feel like everyone I call expects me to be an expert in this stuff and if I was an expert, I wouldn't be calling them!
Anyone else in the same boat?
2 Answers
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First
I am trying to gather information for future reference. My mom is getting older and I don't know how long she will be able to live on her own, drive, etc.
Does your evaluation cover such things? I would also like to know of any community services available for Mom. I notice that MAC does not return phone calls or emails consistently, so I was wondering what other resources there are. Everything I find online refers me either to the state aging agency or my local agency on aging and I wonder if that is all there is because I can't seem to get info from those state and local websites.
I'd like to know who to call before the next crisis hits.
Any help or information on what you do or can provide would be helpful. Are your evaluations that are $90/hour about the same as hiring a private nursing company to do a Level 1, 2 or 3 evaluation?
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The level 1, 2 and 3 I'm referring to is a Maryland state regulation type of thing that breaks down care for nursing home and assisted living places. I have learned that much. The consultant doesn't seem to be familiar with it though, so I guess she is not the person for me.
I am just trying to prepare as much as possible and get things done in advance, because I know there will be another crisis and when it hits, there is no time to research things, there is only time to act.
Any help on how to communicate with these people, or tell the good ones from the bad, would be appreciated. I don't know enough about all of this stuff to tell if people are scammers or or over charging or not.
Thank you
Maybe if you let us know what you're trying to find out someone here can help you or at least help direct you to the person you should be asking.
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