05.29.08
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Assisted Living Referral Service, Assisted Living Safety, Caregiver, Depression, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Nursing home, Nursing home alternative, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services, care at home, dementia, forgetting to take medication at 6:05 pm by admin
Do your mother and/or father need to be moved from home to an assisted living? Do they need to be moved from an assisted living to a nursing home? Or are they at a facility that you are not happy with? Moving your parents can be the best thing that you can do for them, but it can also be the worst thing.
Moving is a dramatic change for an elderly person, especially one with Alzheimer’s disease. A move from home to a nursing home may be the best option but look into getting care at home. Moving can confuse and depress an elderly person. If your mother or father is able to, let him or her be a part of the decision.
When an elderly person is familiar with a facility or the staff at one assisted living or nursing home it’s usually best to keep him there. An elderly person is more likely to willingly receive care and feel comfortable with care attendants and nurses that he or she knows as opposed to a stranger. Also when elderly people are familiar with a facility, such as knowing where the dining room, medicine, activities, and their apartment is, they are usually emotionally stable longer than if they are moved from facility to facility and getting disoriented and confused.
However, when you see your loved one needing more care than what the facility gives, you need to act quickly. There are nurses that come to where your parent is and give care to him. Some facilities have care packages that start at minimal care (such as reminders to come to meals and take medicine) and maximum care packages (such as bathing, transferring from bed to wheelchair and feeding). If the facility that your loved one is does not offer more care and getting a nurse to come and care for him or her is not an option you should not leave him or her there, moving would be a must in that situation.
If your parents are at a facility and you are not happy with the care that they are receiving, talk to the management about your complaints. They may not be aware that your parent is being neglected. Also talk with the care staff and let them know that you care about your parents and want the best care for them. Politely tell the care staff your complaints (i.e. moms hair needs to be brushed, I noticed dad lost his dentures). Visit your parents often. Keep the care staff accountable by making visits at different times of the day or maybe spend a night there if possible. If the quality of care still does not improve make a complaint to DADS (Department of Aging and Disabilities Services) and move your parents to a more quality facility.
Most importantly make sure your parent is taken good care of and is happy.
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08.22.07
Posted in Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Assisted Living Referral Service, Atria Willow Park at 3:36 am by admin
Nationwide ad campaign exposing Atria
A nationwide ad campaign has been published and is now in several states throughout the nation. The problem with Atria has to do with their corporate policies to save money. Sure they add needed profit to the bottom line as does every business but they take from the elderly needs rather then luxuries.
Here are a number of Atria Willow Parks failings
Here are a few of the problems brought down to each and every Atria to lower level management from the top:
Insufficient staffing
Dangerous medication errors
Residents who have wandered away (one has died because of this in another Atria facility)
Bad food and inadequate food choices
Inadequate response to emergencies
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08.17.07
Posted in Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Assisted Living Referral Service, Azalea Trails, Elder Care, Elderly Care at 4:29 pm by admin
Timber Springs Retirement Community
Timber Springs Retirement Community in Nacogdoches Texas is ending their pre-construction pricing October 1st 2007. The retirement community is a very large facility and offers a large pond, plenty of parking and spacious rooms. Having apartments with others your same age is a nice thing when your entering retirement. Activities and other similar hobbies will be planned on a regular basis to keep the retirement community active and alive.
Nacogdoches Retirement Community
If you have family in Nacogdoches you will find this retirement community to be well suited for you. For those who need additional care that an assisted living community can provide I would recommend moving into Azalea Trails in Tyler Texas. They concentrate on a large resident to care fiver ratio with a smaller facility in order to concentrate on true quality elder care. The facility has just been built and is very spacious and beautiful. Several residents moved out of other assisted living facilities to come to this one as it offers the most quality care available for an assisted living in Texas.
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07.31.07
Posted in Assisted Living Referral Service, Assisted Living Safety, Elder Care, Elderly Care, arthritis, exercises, osteoporosis, pain releif, soothes joints, water exercises, water therapy, water therapy for elderly at 5:17 pm by admin
Water therapy, a good excercise for the elderly
A great way to excercise
Water Therapy is said to be the best form of exercise for the elderly. Water therapy is easy on the bones which is especially good for those with Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis. Water therapy warms and soothes the joints and increases range of motion. Water therapy conditions and builds the muscles yet it releives a lot of pain. Many poeple with back pain start doing water exercises to relieve that pain whereas weight workouts would likely increase the pain.
Hard and padded surfaces uncomfortable
Many people find that as they age exercising on hard or even padded surfaces is very uncomfortable but water exercises are enjoyable and a nearly painless workout. If a person has a muscle strain or tear, has had a fall or other injury then the gentle resistance and friction that water therapy provides makes a quicker recovery while reducing the risks of re-injury due to loss of balance or overstraining the bones and muscles.
Consult your physical therapist
Those with high blood pressure and other heart related problems should consult their physical therapist before performing water therapy.
If you or a loved one has arthritis then begin water therapy that works for you as soon as possible to get rid of pain and stiffness.
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06.19.07
Posted in Assisted Living, Assisted Living Referral Service at 3:00 pm by admin
Sending a stubborn loved one to an Assisted Living Facility
When it comes time to suggest to a stubborn loved one that they would be better suited being in an assisted living facility with friends their same age and a staff that can assist them with daily living chores it can be hard. Not everyone likes the idea of being forced into a place they themselves did not decide to go to.
Memory disease can be a problem during the move
Usually when it is the children deciding where the parent should go is likely do to the parent having a memory disorder such as dimentia or alzheimer’s. The resident just does not know what is best for them and cannot remember from one day to the next what priorities should be followed for quality of life.
How to convince an elderly loved on to go to an Assisted Living Facility
The best way to convince a stubborn loved one who has a mental disorder from hardening of the arteries, dimentia or alzhiemer’s would be to play along in their fantasy. They likely believe they are in the wrong town or even someone elses house while you take care of them. They unfortunately do not always listen to logic because they are not thinking in reality.
What is considered unethical lieing and what is appropriate when dealing with dementia patients?
When it gets to this point there is a fine line between lieing to your loved on in a cruel unhelpful way and lieing to them along with their fantasy in a way to get them to take care of daily tasks and chores. Some parents will fight and scream before they will go take a shower. They believe they have had one already. A simple coxing into the shower by saying something like, “hey dad, lets go take a look at that brush of your in the bathroom. You like that brush don’t you?” Then progressing to saying something like, “hey you like to look good don’t you before you go out?” He may say, “yes” He might start talking about something. Play along in the moment and role with what he says. Play into his fantasy like you understand and some how steer it to that he needs to take a shower to do whatever it is he wants to do. Even though he may be talking complete nonsense you will have accomplished getting your dad to take a shower.
Strategy to get your dad in the facility
Now getting a loved one to go to an assisted living facility is done in a similar manner. You could be driving in the car and he may start thinking he is in his town. He may object to going into an assisted living facilitity but you could say something like, “Hey dad, let’s go try out this place and play some games for a little bit. Would you like to play dominoes?” If he gets agitated about the idea of living in a retirement community then just talk about the games.
Before you know it he will think he lives in the facility for the time being and you can make your way out after leaving him with the staff. This strategy is only for those who have a bad case of dementia or other memory loss disorders. It’s to protect you and your loved one because if not done tactfully fighting often times occurs. When you come to visit him you can play down any fears he has and bring out the positives about the place he is living. Play games and take walks with him. If he thinks he is back in his home town don’t discourage that type of thinking because he will not be convinced otherwise.
If you believe the assisted living facility you placed your dad or mom is abusing your loved one then you want to come unannounced and quite often to catch the neglect or abuse. Come when they least expect it and if you do see abuse you need to call the number below. These are volunteer government helpers who will help you to legally do something about this. You may also call them to be referred to a quality assisted living facility based on the crime data they have.
Speak to an information and referral specialist today to learn more about where to place your loved one.
Texas LTC Ombudsman Program Advocate for residents
Information, assistance, complaints
1-800-252-2412
www.dads.state.tx.us
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