Does anyone know the criteria for needing to be in a locked dementia care special unit, versus regular nursing home care? My mom is no longer aggressive, anxious and scared. We have taken medications away and now she is just a sweet confused woman who can’t walk without assistance. She requires total help with ADLs toileting and dietary supervision. She seems like an average nursing home type patient now. Where she lives is 40 minutes away and I would like to move her closer to home. I know why she had to go to that unit, but I am not sure what the criteria is to get her out. She has Parkinson’s disease or lewy body dementia.
I wouldn't say never, and I agree you should keep researching and discussing possible options, but I certainly wouldn't be in a hurry to change what's worked so well for her.
What if you move her and there is a sudden, rapid decline? Then what? A new place may not have the services she needs, then another move. Another decline. The new place could request that she hire a private caregiver to monitor her as needed. That would be separate cost from regular monthly fee. This happened to my mom, her behaviors were unmanageable. It was on and off private care for two years and not unusual for her monthly expenses to exceed 10k a month.
Remember, it's not the doctors but the nurses and nurse assistants who are doing the day-to-day care of your mother. You can still advocate for your mother without moving her to a regular nursing home.
Why are you thinking you should move her out of MC? Are there any issues with her there? It seems like she needs a lot of care.
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