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roxynicole1 Asked March 2021

Looking for guidance on finding a group home for mom. What should I look for? Any red flags I should be looking for?

She is 84 and currently in an excellent assisted living community. She is falling frequently, to the point that they check in on her every half hour, and have moved a staff work station closer to her room. On top of this, she tends to be nocturnal. Sleeping all day and roaming at night.


I spoke with the head nurse and facility doctor today. They are recommending finding placement in a group home so that my mom can have a higher staff to resident ratio and more supervision. They did not feel a nursing home environment would be any better than her current situation.


In addition to her mobility issues, she has cognitive decline which is worsening. She is already not happy being where she is, and desperately wants to be in her house. That is not an option for many reasons.


I would appreciate hearing what experiences others can share.


Thank you!

cdnreader Mar 2021
Dear roxynicole,

This article has a lot of good information:

https://aging.com/top-5-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-nursing-home-in-your-area/

Geaton777 Mar 2021
Where is your mom in terms of cognition? Becoming nocturnal can be a symptom of dementia. If your mom is falling more and more frequently, the likelihood that she, in the near future, has a catastrophic accident or medical issue is increasing. If the group home does not have a LTC or MC associated with it, I'm not sure going through all the trouble of settling her in a group home only to have to resettle her elsewhere is ultimately a productive strategy. Is your mom a wandering risk? She sounds pretty mobile...can the group home protect her in this instance?

Another consideration is if she is currently or may soon require Medicaid to help pay for her care. Does the group home accept Medicaid recipients? If not, and your mom needs to leave for a facility as a Medicaid recipient she may be relegated to a waiting list. I hope you find the right solution!

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