AlzCare: When Is It Time for Assisted Living?<title> <meta name="Description" content="Answering the question of WHEN to move a loved one with Alzheimer's / Dementia into an assisted living facility can be an agonizing decsion. Here are some things to consider. 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(Definitions)</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_Typesandcauses.html">Types and Causes of Dementia</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_Warningssigns.html">10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_stagesofdem.html">Stages of Dementia/Alzheimer's Disease</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_diagnosis.html">Diagnosis of Dementing Illnesses</a></font></b></td> </tr> </table> </div> <div id="GU2" style="position:absolute; left:378px; top:182px; width:250px; height:229px; z-index:3; background-color: #FFFFFF; layer-background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px none #000000; overflow: hidden; visibility: hidden"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="7"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_typecare.html">Types of Care Facilities for Elders</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_activities.html">ADL's (Activities of Daily Living)</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_assistedliving.html">Assisted Living Care Homes</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU124.html">Care Facility Size Considerations</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU125.html">Special Alzheimer's Care Units</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_cost.html">The Cost of Assisted Living </a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1"><a href="GU127.html">Comparing Care Costs</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1"><a href="GU128.html">Care Home Evaluation</a></font></b></td> </tr> </table> </div> <div id="GU3" style="position:absolute; left:361px; top:211px; width:228px; height:229px; z-index:4; visibility: hidden; overflow: hidden; background-color: #FFFFFF; layer-background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px none #000000"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="7"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU131.html">Issues of Legal Responsibility</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_whenisittime.html">When is it time to make the move?</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_WhenMtM_1patient.html">When is it time? One patient's perspective</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_searchpriorities.html">Clarifying Search Priorities</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_payingfor.html">Paying for Assisted Living</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU_maybeUn.html">Maybe Unacceptable in Assited Living</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="GU137.html">Evaluating Assisted Living Facilities</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCFFFF"><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><a href="GU_makingthemove.html">Making the Move to a Care Facility</a></b></font></td> </tr> </table> </div> <div id="SS" style="position:absolute; left:348px; top:154px; width:202px; height:146px; 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left:672px; top:154px; width:128px; height:224px; z-index:9; background-color: #FFFFFF; layer-background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px none #000000; visibility: hidden; overflow: hidden"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="7"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#66CCFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="MA_meetalcare.html">Meet ALZCARE</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#66CCFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="MA_howwework.html">How We Work</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#66CCFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="MA_contact.html">All Contact Info</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#66CCFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="MA_privacepolice.html">Privacy Policy</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#66CCFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="MA_legaldisclamer.html">Legal Disclaimer</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#66CCFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="Newsletter.html">Newsletter</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#66CCFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="Links.html">Links</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#66CCFF"><b><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="index.html">Home</a></font></b></td> </tr> </table> </div> <table id="Table_01" width="800" height="699" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td rowspan="3" valign="top"><img src="images/gainunderstandig_01.jpg" width="165" height="699" onMouseOver="MM_showHideLayers('GU','','hide','GU1','','hide','GU2','','hide','GU3','','hide')"></td> <td colspan="4"> <a href="index.html"><img src="images/gainunderstandig_02.jpg" width="635" height="129" alt="" border="0"></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <img src="images/gainunderstandig_03.jpg" width="187" height="25" alt="" onMouseOver="MM_showHideLayers('GU','','show','GU1','','hide','GU2','','hide','GU3','','hide','SS','','hide','PG','','hide','PG1','','hide','PG2','','hide','Au','','hide')"></td> <td> <img src="images/gainunderstandig_04.jpg" width="148" height="25" alt="" onMouseOver="MM_showHideLayers('GU','','hide','GU1','','hide','GU2','','hide','GU3','','hide','SS','','show','PG','','hide','PG1','','hide','PG2','','hide')" border="0"></td> <td> <img src="images/gainunderstandig_05.jpg" width="194" height="25" alt="" onMouseOver="MM_showHideLayers('GU','','hide','GU1','','hide','GU2','','hide','GU3','','hide','SS','','hide','PG','','show','PG1','','hide','PG2','','hide','Au','','hide')" border="0"></td> <td> <img src="images/gainunderstandig_06.jpg" width="106" height="25" alt="" onMouseOver="MM_showHideLayers('GU','','hide','GU1','','hide','GU2','','hide','GU3','','hide','SS','','hide','PG','','hide','PG1','','hide','PG2','','hide','Au','','show')" border="0"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="7" height="325" onMouseOver="MM_showHideLayers('GU','','hide','GU1','','hide','GU2','','hide','GU3','','hide','SS','','hide','PG','','hide','PG1','','hide','PG2','','hide','Au','','hide')"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="7" height="225"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCCCCC"> <div align="center"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><b>When Is It Time?</b></font></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <p><br> <b>When Is It Time to Make the Move?</b></p><p>Many of us have made the promise, either to our loved one or to ourselves, that we would NEVER place them in a care home. Those promises are made with the best of intentions, but sometimes circumstances will not let us keep the promise. Sometimes it is just not a good idea to keep it.<br> <br> There are two sides of the coin to be considered in making this difficult decision. The first is the person with the dementia. The second is the primary decision maker (see <a href="GU131.html">Issues of Legal Responsibility)</a> who is very often the primary caregiver as well.<br></p> <p><b>The Person With Alzheiemr's / Dementia</b></p><p> The first question most of us ask is about safety. You have probably already learned that most dementias are progressive and degenerative. In other words, the condition only gets worse and worse. Have they gotten lost? Are they still driving? Have they had accidents or a lot of near misses? Are they a wander risk? Are they still preparing meals for themselves? Are they using the stove or oven? Perhaps an iron?<br> <br> And we must consider how much of a risk these activities present to others. Is the well-being or even the lives of others at risk because we want to give our loved one as much independence as possible? If they are spending any time alone these risks and others become greatly magnified.<br> <br> But it is not just safety, it is also their health and well-being. Are they eating well? Are they drinking enough water (to stave off urinary tract infections, for example). Are they living in a clean environment? Are they able to keep clean? Can they take their medications at the right times?<br> <br> You can probably continue on adding questions to the list. The more difficulty you having in answering these questions in a positive manner that affirms their safety and well-being as well as the safety of others who live in proximity or who may come in contact the more certain it is that something needs to be done.<br> <br> Perhaps additional home care/caregiving/companionship is a possible answer. Perhaps not. But the real challenge for the primary decision maker and/or caregiver is to not allow guilt or denial to cloud the issue. Face the questions head on and really look at the situation your loved one is in.<br> <br> As we do this we can then add in one additional factor the possibility that living in an Assisted Living Care Home may actually provide a better quality of life than remaining at home and at higher risk. Sometimes the social, medical, health and safety benefits really do provide an enhanced quality of life for our loved ones.</p><br><p> <b>The Primary Decision Maker / Caregiver</b></p> <p> When wrestling with the question of if and when a placement might occur we all think first in terms of the person with dementia. But it is perhaps equally important to consider the ability of those close to the person to cope. No matter how much you love, respect and desire independence for the person, you are faced with a disease that robs them of virtually all ability over time and does much the same to you and others who are close.<br> <br> And usually it is not just one person, one caregiver who is affected, but also their family, their children, their work, their entire life that is stressed to the max. The well-being of all must be considered.<br> <br> To my mind the answer to the question of when is the RIGHT time to make a move is that there is no RIGHT answer. There are only answers of necessity answers that honestly address the needs of all affected answers that examine all of the alternatives without denial or guilt, but rather, with love and concern for the well-being of all.<br> <br> But perhaps a more eloquent answer was provided by an Alzheimers patient several years ago. It came in the form of a letter to his family and is reprinted with permission:<br> <br> <a href="GU_WhenMtM_1patient.html"><b>When Is It Time: One Patients Perspective</b></a><br></p> <p align="center"><br> Copyright 2006 © Alzheimer’s Care Home Referral Service, LLC. All rights reserved</p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table>  </body> </html>