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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?
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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.
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A lot of seniors find it be too much trouble to get everything ready, get the water temperature right, get undressed, get into and out of the tub and get dried off and dressed all by themselves. We do it without thinking, but it is work to them. So they put it off until tomorrow and sometimes tomorrow again. Also sometimes, it's hard to step into the tub, painful to stand for the length of time (use a shower or transfer bench), maybe the shower head isn't conveniently placed, maybe the faucet is too difficult to adjust to get the water "just right". Maybe they're afraid of falling either in the tub or out. Maybe it's hard to get the bathroom warm enough.
All that is to say that there are a bunch of reasons why your dad may be having trouble taking a shower. Spend a little time assisting him and see for yourself what is the trouble and try to fix it. Screw grab bars onto the walls where he needs to stabilize himself. Good luck. Bathing is a big issue with elderly.
I realize your problem I took 24/7 care of my wife in all aspects of her hygiene needs. I had a chair in the tub, grab bars on all sides, a shower hose connected, and I also had a company that specializes in cutting out a section of the tub so that a person can step into the tub as if in a shower stall. With all of these changes, it was easy for me and my wife to have her take her showers and sit comfortably while doing it. Even though you are a male, there should be no shame or embarrassment to assist your wife. We had been married 666 years but unfortunately, she "passed" in May of 2014.
Remember his fears are all so real and not uncommon, also be prepared to lower your standards of hygiene, not saying that you are not, but many close family members have a difficult time with this. The first challenge is to remember if he has had a shower, and if he needs one. A journal in the bathroom helps with this, and picking a constant time for showering. The next challenge is his fears. He will fear forgetting to do something and cause injury, slipping, falling, getting burned, ETC... Make sure all safety bars are installed, a steady chair with good access to shower head and knobs. Constant reminders to rinse shower pan before standing to make sure all soap causing a slippery surface is removed, and to make sure all soap is off his hands, and hands are dry, keep a towel in easy reach for this. Many will opt out of an outside person to help. What may work, is to ask him to take a shower a few times with a family member present wearing underwear/boxer shorts a few times to be able to first help to get over fears. He may then be able to shower on his own, or with outside assistance. Please be cautious hiring outside, I have found that many through the agencies are not trained, but say they are, and are careless in the shower area.
make sure bathroom is warm and having a shower w/ a hand held shower wand/nozzle and a shower chair will make things easier. we also got a shower mitt that can be lathered up which might be easier then a wash cloth to hold depending on his struggles. if it is just mental struggles-we mark it on a calendar and make sure he can see he takes a shower every week on a certain day and cat bath when he needs it during the week.
My mother is very unsteady on her feet and uses a rollator to walk. I got a shower chair from the local senior center for her. They have a supply of donated aids for seniors, and I just signed out this chair. Part of it extends outside the tub, so she can sit down on it and swing her legs into the tub, then reverse the process to get out. Works great for her.
Samara, over the years we have traveled with my MIL a lot. I find that there is a WIDE variance in what hotels/motels call a handicapped accessible bathroom. Some are nothing more than handgrips installed on the wall and some are just great with fold down benches, handheld shower heads, bathroom heaters, raised toilets. There is no consistency. I'm also amazed that such rooms are ALWAYS on the upper level floors. How in the heck are we supposed to evacuate the room in case of fire? Cannot use the elevators. Wheelchairs and walkers down several flights of stairs??? Really?? So far, so good, but still I worry. I wish more thought went into design for the elderly.
Jumping back to Sonny's comment- the Safeway tub people can cut out the tub wall for easy entry- pretty inexpensive. They also have a version with a door for the hole so it can still be used as a tub. The "walk-in" tubs that are being advertised can be very expensive but the choices above are much more reasonable.
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.
All that is to say that there are a bunch of reasons why your dad may be having trouble taking a shower. Spend a little time assisting him and see for yourself what is the trouble and try to fix it. Screw grab bars onto the walls where he needs to stabilize himself. Good luck. Bathing is a big issue with elderly.
Good Luck,
Sonny M.
Now I'll get off my soapbox, sorry.
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