sbl - my mom was in IL and for her too like Freqflyer's dad it was "medication management" that was the issue and IL director call me about her concerns. Her evening meds were the more important ones and staff at dinner's end would remind to take after dinner. There were several ladies doing this and for months & months. I put a set of her RX in the carrier part of her Hugo walker. Staff set out. No extra charge. But on weekends -unless I or my cousin was visiting - someone was hired to do this & they all either worked part-time or had worked at the IL in the past. The director gave me a list of names & I'm sure they all knew each other. If they set their own hours & schedule, they're contract labor so only get issued a 1099 if payment exceeds $ 600.
This worked for a few months, then she had more pronounced walking & visual issues - she was Lewy body dementia and had the "shuffle" & hallucinations classic for Lewy. Then probably had a TIA and had confusion from that, then wandering. The director would email me with updates & I was in every 3 -5 weeks for long visits. Within 5 mos or so, after these all got more intense, she went into a NH. Mom did jump to hyperspace & went from IL to NH as "Medicaid Pending" with no AL phase.
I'd like to add that IF you think it's time for a move - especially if it's to a NH, the sooner the better imo. Both AL & NH have a very definite scheduling and rythmn. My mom was still good to go & do and took part in NH activities even with dementia & mistaking staff for family & friends from her younger life. But I noticed that very very often family waited to get them into a NH till elders were very end stages of dementia and their not able to understand or be aware of their surroundings so they just sit in wheelchair or in their room all day.
Sblturner, for my Dad, who had lived in Independent Living in a senior living facility, it was the Staff that recommended to me that it was now time for Dad to move to their Assisted Living section.
Suggest a meeting with the Staff to see how well your Mother is doing, and if she needs any extra care. Some Independent Living facilities have an option list of extras that the Staff will do for her at a monthly cost. Example, my Dad was forgetting to take his pills, so I paid to have a MedTech take over keeping his pills and coming to his apartment twice a day to give his required pills.
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This worked for a few months, then she had more pronounced walking & visual issues - she was Lewy body dementia and had the "shuffle" & hallucinations classic for Lewy. Then probably had a TIA and had confusion from that, then wandering. The director would email me with updates & I was in every 3 -5 weeks for long visits. Within 5 mos or so, after these all got more intense, she went into a NH. Mom did jump to hyperspace & went from IL to NH as "Medicaid Pending" with no AL phase.
I'd like to add that IF you think it's time for a move - especially if it's to a NH, the sooner the better imo. Both AL & NH have a very definite scheduling and rythmn. My mom was still good to go & do and took part in NH activities even with dementia & mistaking staff for family & friends from her younger life. But I noticed that very very often family waited to get them into a NH till elders were very end stages of dementia and their not able to understand or be aware of their surroundings so they just sit in wheelchair or in their room all day.
Suggest a meeting with the Staff to see how well your Mother is doing, and if she needs any extra care. Some Independent Living facilities have an option list of extras that the Staff will do for her at a monthly cost. Example, my Dad was forgetting to take his pills, so I paid to have a MedTech take over keeping his pills and coming to his apartment twice a day to give his required pills.
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