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Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
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If I decided to bring my husband home from AL, I would install hidden cameras throughout the house (sans the bathrooms, of course) to be sure he would not be abused by the hired caregiver. Is this legal? I live in Maryland.
I had a small camera in the room where mom and her caregiver spent most of the day - it had two way sound but I never spoke over it and I never mentioned to anyone it was there but it was visible on top of a tall bookcase -
I didn't bother recording and saving for later viewing but would check it via my iPad from work a couple of times a day - sometimes I didn't like what I saw - mom asleep at the kitchen table and caregiver on couch watching trash tv - but other family friends have seen their loved ones treated roughly and so I would certainly recommend having one
If you bring hubby home then be prepared that it isn't easy to have caregivers in the house and they get sick, call off at the last minute and the agency can't always replace their shift so you need a contingency plan in place
I have recently installed cameras at my aunts house. They aren't hidden. They are in plain sight. She has aids only two hours a day. I need to know that she is ok. Hasn't fallen, etc. They are more for me to check on her when she is alone but I can't take them down for just those two hours. One night I received a call from her MediAlert company that her medialert had gone off and they were sending an ambulance because they couldn't get her to answer them. I looked online. She was fine. In a few minutes I could see the EMS guy chatting it up with her. My niece who lives in the area ran over to make sure she wasn't shook up. Aunt said oh the police just left. I'm fine. The aids agree that they feel like they are necessary as well. I can see when her friend brings her communion. I can see when others comes to visit. I don't sit and watch, just check in from time to time to see her going about her day. Most people are glad to see them. They know that she is being cared for. No one has complained. To FF point, I think it would be a good idea to discuss with an existing caretaker and treat her like part of the care team which she is. But if an aid didn't like me having the camera I would have to question whether it was the right aid. We are all on camera many times a day whether we know it or not. I can tell if her aid is gentle with her because I see how she interacts with her when I am there and also how she touches her on the shoulder etc when she is interacting with her when she serves her breakfast etc. When they go out the door I see that they lock the door and they are gentle with her dog. That doesn't mean that they couldn't do something wrong but I am glad I have the cameras. The worst part is when I forget the cameras are there and I look back at the library of a day where I stayed overnight. I'll see my hefty hinney going by in my pjs with a glass of wine or with a bowl of popcorn... Oh well.
If your loved one needs that type of care, installing camera is the least of your worries. You don't have the hours in the day to have hubby at home, do everything the paid cgs won't do, and go through film. Change SNF if you want, but don't bring your person home.
A friend our ours visited her husband every day from 8-6 at our memory care while he was in the last stages of ALS. She brought the dog to visit too, and feed and changed her husband instead of additional paid staff. She knew care at night was fine- she'd worked with hospice and knew how good the facility was.
She could go home at night, knowing her time with him was special, and that a good night's sleep was essential to be able to enjoy their last days.
Worriedspouse, the big question.... why do you want to bring home your husband from Assisted Living? He is in Assisted Living for a reason, he needs around the clock skilled help, specially since he has Alzheimer's/Dementia per your profile. It takes a village to take care of a patient with such needs. One caregiver will burn out quickly.
My boss' wife had Alzheimer's and he took the night shift but it became quite exhausting. There were days he was lucky to have 4 hours of sleep, as his wife would wander the house, and regularly had bathroom accidents where he needed to change the bed linens and wash the others at 3 in the morning, and give his wife a shower.
Now for the camera question... my boss had a really super caregiver for his wife.... that she bonded with, whom she looked forward to seeing every work day, this caregiver knew exactly what to do in every situation so everything went smoothly. My boss took the advice of some buddies of his to install cameras. Well that backfired. The caregiver they had for years felt so uncomfortable with the cameras that she resigned.
My boss then went through many new caregivers and his wife wouldn't bond with any of them. He tried to get back the favorite caregiver, saying he will take out the cameras, but that trust was gone. Oh how he wished he never installed the cameras.
Yes, it's legal. Many people opt for a camera when hiring caregivers or other in-home help.
If you hire through an agency they will most likely have done a background check on their employees otherwise you will have to do this on your own. Many agencies also do random drug testing. I used to work in hospice and I had to have a regular background check and random drug testing. I also had to submit proof of auto insurance. If you go with an agency you'll want them to vet their employees thoroughly.
When I was first starting my career in healthcare, about 100 years ago, I interviewed with Visiting Angels. They were the only agency I was aware of because of all of their advertising. My interview lasted about 15 min. and I was offered the job. The gal who interviewed me said she wanted me to start working with a client right then and there! She hadn't checked my references or done any kind of a background check on me and it crossed my mind that if she didn't care enough about her clients to check my background she probably didn't do a lot of vetting on her clients either and what kind of situation would I be walking into? I turned the job down right then. Visiting Angels is a caregiving agency so perhaps they have different standards than hospice providers but after I was hired by a hospice provider I was unable to work until my background check came back clean.
So yes, get your hidden camera but hire someone who's had a background check and hopefully the camera will just be a precaution.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
I didn't bother recording and saving for later viewing but would check it via my iPad from work a couple of times a day - sometimes I didn't like what I saw - mom asleep at the kitchen table and caregiver on couch watching trash tv - but other family friends have seen their loved ones treated roughly and so I would certainly recommend having one
If you bring hubby home then be prepared that it isn't easy to have caregivers in the house and they get sick, call off at the last minute and the agency can't always replace their shift so you need a contingency plan in place
One night I received a call from her MediAlert company that her medialert had gone off and they were sending an ambulance because they couldn't get her to answer them. I looked online. She was fine. In a few minutes I could see the EMS guy chatting it up with her. My niece who lives in the area ran over to make sure she wasn't shook up. Aunt said oh the police just left. I'm fine.
The aids agree that they feel like they are necessary as well. I can see when her friend brings her communion. I can see when others comes to visit. I don't sit and watch, just check in from time to time to see her going about her day.
Most people are glad to see them. They know that she is being cared for. No one has complained. To FF point, I think it would be a good idea to discuss with an existing caretaker and treat her like part of the care team which she is. But if an aid didn't like me having the camera I would have to question whether it was the right aid. We are all on camera many times a day whether we know it or not.
I can tell if her aid is gentle with her because I see how she interacts with her when I am there and also how she touches her on the shoulder etc when she is interacting with her when she serves her breakfast etc. When they go out the door I see that they lock the door and they are gentle with her dog. That doesn't mean that they couldn't do something wrong but I am glad I have the cameras.
The worst part is when I forget the cameras are there and I look back at the library of a day where I stayed overnight. I'll see my hefty hinney going by in my pjs with a glass of wine or with a bowl of popcorn... Oh well.
A friend our ours visited her husband every day from 8-6 at our memory care while he was in the last stages of ALS. She brought the dog to visit too, and feed and changed her husband instead of additional paid staff. She knew care at night was fine- she'd worked with hospice and knew how good the facility was.
She could go home at night, knowing her time with him was special, and that a good night's sleep was essential to be able to enjoy their last days.
My boss' wife had Alzheimer's and he took the night shift but it became quite exhausting. There were days he was lucky to have 4 hours of sleep, as his wife would wander the house, and regularly had bathroom accidents where he needed to change the bed linens and wash the others at 3 in the morning, and give his wife a shower.
Now for the camera question... my boss had a really super caregiver for his wife.... that she bonded with, whom she looked forward to seeing every work day, this caregiver knew exactly what to do in every situation so everything went smoothly. My boss took the advice of some buddies of his to install cameras. Well that backfired. The caregiver they had for years felt so uncomfortable with the cameras that she resigned.
My boss then went through many new caregivers and his wife wouldn't bond with any of them. He tried to get back the favorite caregiver, saying he will take out the cameras, but that trust was gone. Oh how he wished he never installed the cameras.
So, there are pros and cons to the camera issue.
If you hire through an agency they will most likely have done a background check on their employees otherwise you will have to do this on your own. Many agencies also do random drug testing. I used to work in hospice and I had to have a regular background check and random drug testing. I also had to submit proof of auto insurance. If you go with an agency you'll want them to vet their employees thoroughly.
When I was first starting my career in healthcare, about 100 years ago, I interviewed with Visiting Angels. They were the only agency I was aware of because of all of their advertising. My interview lasted about 15 min. and I was offered the job. The gal who interviewed me said she wanted me to start working with a client right then and there! She hadn't checked my references or done any kind of a background check on me and it crossed my mind that if she didn't care enough about her clients to check my background she probably didn't do a lot of vetting on her clients either and what kind of situation would I be walking into? I turned the job down right then. Visiting Angels is a caregiving agency so perhaps they have different standards than hospice providers but after I was hired by a hospice provider I was unable to work until my background check came back clean.
So yes, get your hidden camera but hire someone who's had a background check and hopefully the camera will just be a precaution.