Greetings! The holidays are a cherished time for families to be together – a time to make new memories and to celebrate the past. The holidays are also a time when family members might notice that an older loved one is declining physically or mentally. For example, the onset of…
Three weeks ago, my mother had what appeared to be a stroke, followed by a TIA, and a urinary tract infection. She was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital, which in the case of an emergency is required by law. Her primary care physician was not on the staff…
“Prepare for your loved one’s transition from the hospital to a long-term care community.” Four years ago, my mom, who is 88 and a registered nurse, had a triple bypass with a valve replacement. The hospital staff informed me that their transitional care unit was full and I would have…
People often ask for my opinion of the 5-star nursing home rating system that was instituted approximately two years ago by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service. The system is a comparative tool that assigns nursing homes composite rankings from 1 (below average) to 5 (above average). Rankings can…
“Be certain that a community’s definition of “assisted living” meets your loved one’s needs.” Greetings and best wishes for a wonderful summer! I’ve been blessed with a lot of assisted living and nursing home placements, completing my National Guardianship Certification, fishing, and playing some fun golf games, although at times…
Over half of my clients are children of seniors who are already living in a community. The children are looking to move them because the senior needs a higher level of care or they are dissatisfied with the care the senior is receiving. But the most common reason clients contact…
When I deliver the assisted living segment of my group presentations, the audience is often unaware that Medicaid offers a program that pays for assisted living. It is called the Supportive Living Program. Assisted living is the next highest level of care above independent living where the senior needs some…
During my years of work as a retirement community executive, I had many opportunities to observe the residents file to their Bingo, Baggo, and Bunco games on a weekly basis. I would often hear them complain about the routine, boredom, and a lack of variety with the activities. I thought…
“Delaying a loved one’s move to a long term care community might not be a good decision in the long run.” The decision to move a senior to an assisted living community or nursing home can be an unpleasant experience. Because our parents took care of us, it is a…
“Assisted Living Programs offer a wide variety of services and pricing, no two of which are identical.” Prospects will often call me and open the conversation by saying something like, “My mother needs some assistance.” A statement such as this one can mean anything. Assisted living actually means the next…