Are you sure you want to exit? Your progress will be lost.
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?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
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.
✔
I acknowledge and authorize
✔
I consent to the collection of my consumer health data.*
✔
I consent to the sharing of my consumer health data with qualified home care agencies.*
*If I am consenting on behalf of someone else, I have the proper authorization to do so. By clicking Get My Results, you agree to our Privacy Policy. You also consent to receive calls and texts, which may be autodialed, from us and our customer communities. Your consent is not a condition to using our service. Please visit our Terms of Use. for information about our privacy practices.
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.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
A very dear friend (99 yrs old) is in assisted living. We help to make sure she has supplies (Depends, pads, polygrip, etc.) Recently she has begun to smell, not only her clothes but a wig that she wears every day. Her lunch mates have called her on it, but she still doesn't get the wig cleaned, and I think she is hanging up and wearing stained slacks rather than putting them in the laundry. It's almost unbearable to be in her company and her room. Being a friend and not family, I hesitate to mention this to her. I've reported it to her guardian and hope she can take care of it.
Concered59, we have that "battle" every day with MIL here. She isn't completely incontinent but she leaks and sometimes just doesn't make it to the bathroom in time. So she wears Depends pull ups. She would wear the same one every day if I didn't insist on a clean one at least every time she changes her clothes. She just doesn't feel the wetness because it does such a good job of pulling the wetness away from the body and containing it.
I think we've all gone through the problem of getting them to wear clean clothes. What I do, is at night, after she has gone to sleep I go into her room and get the dirty ones and then she has to wear something else. Well, that was when she could still dress herself. My assisting her more and more has gradually morphed into me doing most of the work of dressing her. So I just take them when I leave the room. She'll say don't take my clothes I'm going to wear them tomorrow. I just tell her she has clean clothes in her closet to wear. I honestly think that because she can't see them (hanging in the closet behind closed doors) that she thinks they don't exist. Every night when we say it's time to go to bed, she asks if she has a bed here to sleep in. Every night. So it doesn't surprise me if she thinks she has no clothes to wear. It's so sad and I love her so much.
Hanging up dirty clothes to wear again sounds like a memory issue. Dementia often makes a person unable to attend to the need to use the bathroom even if the sensation is there, as well. Whatever is causing her problem - well, it's a problem for you. This is a common issue and the ideas already listed are good ones.
Experimentation with getting her to the toilet every few hours may help.
Also, sometimes hiring an in-home caregiver can help because our parents often don't like us telling them about their unpleasant yet uncontrollable issues. It's easier to accept guidance from an aide than a "child."
Incontinence is one of the leading causes of family caregivers deciding that facility care is needed. My heart goes out to you with this challenge. Please keep reading to see what others can suggest. Carol
My mother-in-law is 85, has no sensation of needing to go, or of being wet. Refuses to believe that she has wet herself, saying that she must have sat in something wet. She will wear adult diapers, but forgets to change them and leaks. The doctor has said that there is nothing he can give her if she doesn't even have the sensation. She is very stubborn and becomes very agitated if her smell or wetness is pointed out to her. She even hangs up dirty clothes to wear again.
You don't have to feel bad about your parents being diapers, just think how they would feel if they might mess up your furniture or have a bad accident. They don't understand that after the body gets to a certain age we all loose control. I was buying the pull up diapers at SAMS club in Florida. She had Alzheimers/Dementia. however before when she was in New York at her house, she would go through panities a day and the smeel stared so up north I had to buy diapers. it is all about hygeine. Your parents may also be on a water pill and that also makes them go to the bathroom alot. Don't feel bad. it is for their safety and also makes it eaiser on you. bless you. patrica61
This is a situation that everyone gets to at one point, I have my 89 yr old mom and my husband's 89 year old grand mom that live with us. They both wear depends, at first both fought me on the idea, until I pulled my self out of the idea that they were still able to make choices for themselves, then I made the changes necessary for them to be able to accept. I first sought the help from the 3rd party as Carol notes, my 3rd party was the doctor he explained to them both that it was just a transition that was necessary,like having to take there meds. It makes it less complicated for you then I just went out and purchased the 80 ct pkg at Costco and took all of the panties out of the drawers and left them in there place. Eventually and had to place some closer to them in the bathroom area so they could be within reach just in case. It soon became just another step in there personal hygeine regimen. Hope this helps good luck and God Bless :)
Dear carol, I want to wish you a happy hoilday season. without all your help I do not know what I would have done. Mom passed Oct, 5, 2009 and just came back from New York, she was buried with my dad in the Veternans cementry in Long Island. It was hard No I have not cried hard yet . Now my both mohter-in law and father in-law are showing signs. My mother in law fell three times in one day and my father in-law is forgetting things or repeating. All they do is fight he had to leave and come home after three days. My husband was so embarssed in the hospital my father all he did was fight with every one. I took care of my mom for almost 10 years, she died in my arms with dignity. I told my hubby they sound like they may have the signs of begining of Alzherimers/Dementia. He is in a denial state now. I try to help and let him know when a person has many falls 20 in less than 2 years something is wrong. I hope he wakes up, he know what I went through. and I am still going through things. Bless you and all the caretakers out there. It is a hard battle. patrica61
Depends are more like panties/underwear now. My mother has had some problems. They are not like diapers and pull up just like regular undergarments. I anticipated problems getting her to wear them but I didn't mention the change and none was noticed.
There are different causes of incontinence so you should speak to her doctor. It might not be only the dementia that is the problem.
There are also a few web sites (Depends and other brands) that send free samples.
1. take all of her underpants away, put the depends in the same place as the underpants were. Also put some depends near the toilet. 2. tell her the doctor told her that she has to use the depends. use "the doctor" for all changes. Their generation is very willing to do anything a doctor tells them. If necessary, have the doctor write a short note to her.
She might be more familiar with pads from the past, and you can call them PantiLiners. However, if she keeps forgetting what they are, forgets instructions, and is out of touch with how wet or poopy she is...has lost sense of smell, then someone has to help her. Think most caregivers go through this, where the parent just can't remember to use pads themselves. Loss of self awareness, loss of self respect? Attention, perhaps due to bad eyesight with loss of smell...and this area doesn't concern them any more. Anyway, now I have to be there when she goes to the bathroom. Almost had pads flushed down the toilet too.
She's in denial, which is common. Is there a third party who can work with her on this? Even an in-home health person? You MIL may be embarrassed with you, but would look at help from a "nurse" who could explain this is very common and using different underwear is much more dignified that wetting one's clothes.
There are many things that can better be handled by a third party as that takes out the emotional bond. I hope you can find someone, as this is wearing on all of you.
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.
I think we've all gone through the problem of getting them to wear clean clothes. What I do, is at night, after she has gone to sleep I go into her room and get the dirty ones and then she has to wear something else. Well, that was when she could still dress herself. My assisting her more and more has gradually morphed into me doing most of the work of dressing her. So I just take them when I leave the room. She'll say don't take my clothes I'm going to wear them tomorrow. I just tell her she has clean clothes in her closet to wear. I honestly think that because she can't see them (hanging in the closet behind closed doors) that she thinks they don't exist. Every night when we say it's time to go to bed, she asks if she has a bed here to sleep in. Every night. So it doesn't surprise me if she thinks she has no clothes to wear. It's so sad and I love her so much.
Experimentation with getting her to the toilet every few hours may help.
Also, sometimes hiring an in-home caregiver can help because our parents often don't like us telling them about their unpleasant yet uncontrollable issues. It's easier to accept guidance from an aide than a "child."
Incontinence is one of the leading causes of family caregivers deciding that facility care is needed. My heart goes out to you with this challenge. Please keep reading to see what others can suggest.
Carol
There are different causes of incontinence so you should speak to her doctor. It might not be only the dementia that is the problem.
There are also a few web sites (Depends and other brands) that send free samples.
2. tell her the doctor told her that she has to use the depends. use "the doctor" for all changes. Their generation is very willing to do anything a doctor tells them. If necessary, have the doctor write a short note to her.
Think most caregivers go through this, where the parent just can't remember to use pads themselves. Loss of self awareness, loss of self respect? Attention, perhaps due to bad eyesight with loss of smell...and this area doesn't concern them any more. Anyway, now I have to be there when she goes to the bathroom. Almost had pads flushed down the toilet too.
There are many things that can better be handled by a third party as that takes out the emotional bond. I hope you can find someone, as this is wearing on all of you.
Carol