memory care
77 Year-Old with Dementia
Mr. N is a 77 year-old man with moderate to advanced dementia. His family contacted us, looking to move him from another city, to Portland to be closer to his family. Mr. N's wife had recently passed away and he was living in a city with no family members nearby...
We initially toured three communities together, some were stand-alone memory care communities, and others had assisted living and/or independent living on the same campus. All of them would meet Mr. N's needs, but his daughter felt most positive about the third community we visited. She went back with her sister to revisit that one, and they put down a deposit to hold the available room.
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Senior living options: which one is best for your situation?
There are a lot of resources for seniors. Knowing what’s available and appropriate for their needs is often hard to determine. You can always call… Continue reading
When “Googling It” Isn’t the Best Option
We all use Google to do our research, it’s quick and comprehensive. You can find anything you need from Google, almost. When researching senior living… Continue reading
Is it time for my loved one with Alzheimer’s to enter a memory care facility?
One of the hardest decisions you will ever make is when to move a loved one – a parent, grandparent, sibling, or aunt – to… Continue reading
A Gentle Approach to Dementia When the Patient Doesn’t Know
One of the most difficult ongoing conversations with an elderly loved one concerns a decline in their memory skills or cognitive ability. At least… Continue reading
Reducing Caregiver Burnout
Pauline and Bert have been married for 65 years. They live in a small house in Beaverton where they raised their children and know all the neighbors. About 5 years ago Pauline started developing memory problems that were gradually getting worse and worse. Bert has been her caregiver and assuming more of the daily tasks around the house and helping her with her personal care needs. Bert is exhausted and his health is starting to deteriorate. He recently spent a few days in the hospital due to the stress of being her caregiver. That's common for family caregivers, they're so busy taking care of their loved ones that their own health declines faster than those they're caring for. Bert's family recognized his stress and exhaustion so called me to help find a place for Pauline to live...
In the past Pauline has walked out the front door looking for Bert and wandered down the street. As such she's considered an elopement risk in assisted living so we looked for a secure memory care building for her. Bert wanted to be able to visit her daily so the memory care had to be near their house. They have long term care insurance so we had to find a place that is accredited and works with long term care insurance companies. Continue reading Urgent Need for Memory Care after Hospital Stay Causes Family Caregiver Stress Don’t Wait for a Crisis to Make a Move!
A call came from the discharge planner at the hospital in Hillsboro. They had a patient that needed 24x7 supervision who couldn't return to his home and needed to find a memory care facility as he was an "elopement risk" (they were worried he would walk out the front door and wander away). The hospital case manager wanted to discharge him as quickly as possible and asked us to help find him a room in memory care in Portland as it wasn't safe to allow him to return home...
There were lots of signs he (and his wife) needed more assistance. The daughters had already decided the next time he was in the hospital would be the final straw, it would be time to move. While usually we can find the perfect place for him to move, this time every memory care building was full and most had a waiting list.
Our number one recommendation is don't wait until there's a crisis to make a move. When it's a crisis you are stuck with what's available and it may not be what you really want. The senior in crisis won't get input on which place he/she wants, family will have to make all the decisions. They're already feeling overwhelmed with all that's going on with their loved ones and the pressure of making a quick decision to meet hospital discharge expectations is extremely stressful! Continue reading
Our number one recommendation is don't wait until there's a crisis to make a move. When it's a crisis you are stuck with what's available and it may not be what you really want. The senior in crisis won't get input on which place he/she wants, family will have to make all the decisions. They're already feeling overwhelmed with all that's going on with their loved ones and the pressure of making a quick decision to meet hospital discharge expectations is extremely stressful! Continue reading Planning Ahead for Alzheimer’s Care
Mr. and Mrs. C live in their own home in a large neighborhood in Beaverton, Oregon. They love their home and don't wish to move. They were referred to us by an in-home care agency who has been helping care for Mrs. C in their home. Mrs. C is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. Mr. C recently had a heart attack scare, and after his recovery, got his family together for a meeting to talk about the future. Mr. C called me to find out what Memory Care communities were out there; in the event that something happens to him, his wife will need to be looked after...
Both Mr. and Mrs. C liked one community in particular. It's near their son, near walking trails, has a nice courtyard and a nice view, and meets their budget. They also made a second choice as a backup plan in case the first community has no availability. They had another family meeting and told their sons about their decision. When the time comes, the sons know this is their choice, and will contact us to move forward with Mrs. C either moving to Assisted Living or Memory Care, depending on the nurse's assessment.
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Couple Moves to Assisted Living
Mr. and Mrs. F were living in their own home but finding it increasingly difficult to take care of themselves. Their daughter lived nearby but had a full-time job, and she came over and helped out on a daily basis. After working all day, she went to their house and cooked for them, helped them clean up, and gave them their medications. She hired in-home care, but Mrs. F did not want a caregiver in her home and resisted it. Their daughter was feeling burned out, and she called us for help in finding placement for her parents.
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