My mom has dementia and needs to be somewhere but I'm afraid she may be too bad off health wise for just assisted. In August last year she started having spinal compression fractures from severe osteoporosis. Now 6 months later she is all hunched over and in a lot of pain. So much its hard for her to get around and all she does is lay down and sleep all the time. She's lost 30lbs since then. She has some pressure areas from lying around so much. Her backbone really sticks way out now. Forgets meds, forgets to eat and has to be forced to bathe. Aside from that she now has congestive heart failure. Just spent a week in hospital. Today she went into rehab at a nursing home. She is in so much pain. She needs help getting to the bathroom or a chair or to get out of bed. They want to try to strengthen her somewhat to keep her walking and getting around better. I like the assisted living facilities better than the nursing home environment but am concerned they may not take her with her fragile, frail state. Is she too bad off for assisted living?
6 Answers
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
Since your profile says she has Dementia, you might look at some Memory Care facilities in NC. They do have residents who have very limited mobility and it is technically Assisted Living, not NH.
Memory Care units can handle those who are fully incontinent or need complete help with toileting. even though a regular Assisted Living in NC does not do that. If there is one in your area, you might check it out. (I'm in NC too.) The thing is that if she should need daily skilled nursing care, they would not be able to keep her. They would be able to administer all her meds though, as well as bathe her, dress her, change diapers, feed by hand, etc.
ADVERTISEMENT
My mother eventually required hospice care while at the SNF. The CHF can go up and down frequently and pneumonia can set in more easily as well. The head nurse coordinated contact with the hospice nurses and they were quickly at the nursing home to meet with me, sign papers, and care starts immediately. They are wonderful and so experienced. I was completely satisfied with all they did for my mother. My mother had also been in the hospital and sent to rehab at nursing facility. It was an easy transition as she was then requiring 24 hour care and there was space available for her to stay. My heart goes out to you dealing with all this and difficult decisions to be made. Take care.