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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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You have a lot of answers below with great ideas for clean up care and help. I wanted to make another suggestion for recovery and fighting it off, home made milk kiefer. You get what they refer to as "grains" which are live cultures and then put them in milk and let them ferment. I know it sounds horrible but it isn't and it's one of if not the best source for re-colonizing your gut with the healthy bacteria that's supposed to be there and probably has been killed off by antibiotics. I make smoothies out of the final product but blending up with frozen fruit (I like black cherries) and half a banana for sweetness, you can add a little honey too if you need it and it's actually yummy. There are variables that make the basic MK taste sharper or milder but it's a pretty quick learning curve. The grains multiply as they eat and convert the milk sugars (lactose so most lactose intolerant people are able to drink this) and increase the bio availability of vitamins and minerals so people who make this are often happy to share. There are a few Face Book groups devoted to this and they have various ways to put people together for sharing, you don't have to pay for them so fall into that trap and there are tons of people willing to help you through the process as a beginner. There are various strains of grains so one set may not always behave or produce the same flavor as another, we are dealing with wild cultures here so figure out what works best for you and if that means trying different grains that's fine. I have seen them offered on Craig's List or our local Front Page Forum too so try places like that as well. Then eating things like sauerkraut, yogurt anything fermented is along with and until you try MK are good for re-populating too they just have different but less bacteria, front loading is best done with MK from all I have learned.
But honestly not very "catching" to those who are healthy. This comes of having had treatment with antibiotics or other meds that wiped out the "good bacteria" in the colon while wiping out the bad. You only get C Diff if you are compromised in this way. As nurses we simply used the exact same methods we used with others, gloves and good hand washing. I never knew a nurse to get C-Diff. That's in 40 years of nursing. We had no fear of it other than that it was killing our patients. Not their original disease, but the C-Diff. We did not isolate people with C-Diff.
It is what happens when you get too many antibiotics or chemo or are otherwise immune compromised. It lives in our bowel all the time, as does e-coli and so many others. And they all play nicely to give our bowel the flora it needs to function well. But when you have to take antibiotics they kill all the flora and even the GOOD flora is killed, so the bad survivor (like a roach) is the one to live on. That one is C-Diff and it is a monster. Explosive diarrhea you cannot hold on to and you do not absorb nutrients. As a nurse I saw people die of it regularily. I am therefore a huge believer in poop transplants. Look up C Diff and fecal transplant. I have known people now going in for antibiotics and treatment who freeze their own poop so they can do it yourself when off the antibiotics. It is no joke and it kills. Lymie, when the isolate in hospitals it is mostly to protect OTHER PATIENTS who are immune compromised or on antibiotics. I can only tell you as a nurse for over 40 years, we had no fear of catching it, and unlike lice and scabies we DIDN'T ever catch it.
Oh my,, you should be able to get some in home health care if you need it. I work in an ICU, and many patients have this. And I don't want to think how many people in the general population have it and have no idea at first. We wear gowns and gloves, but I have never seen a hazmat suit for this! We do keep the patients in isolation ( just signs on the door ) and letting visitors know they need to gown and glove up, but that's so they don't take it home or spread it around the ICU. When we leave the room we do soap and water washing of our hands. There are treatments for it ( see other posts) and the best preventative is good handwashing and hygene. Bleach does kill it on surfaces, so make sure you are cleaning surfaces well after use. It is very comman in Nursing Homes, and such. I have been working with it for over 22 years, and I have never gotten it., so just see whats out there.
First off, if you need in home care, more than likely you are going to need dr's order to get it. Talk to the doctor who diagnosed it and ask him if home health will come. (I don't really see why they wouldn't since medical staff have to deal with this issued quite often - it's a matter of protection with gloves, etc).
If home health is something you are doing as private request and private pay, just call the home health company and ask.
My 14 year old got c-diff after a terrible infection. (The c-diff is only killed with bleach.) They sent him home. I had 3 younger children at home. We just kept EVERYTHING BLEACHED. No other cleaner will kill it according to his CDC Dr. As for help, I'm not sure why a home health aid wouldn't. They are trained for that. It's all about being diligent.
As a nurse I need to tell you please to see a good gastroenterologist and get a referral to someone who does fecal transplant. I have seen it work in days and I have seen people die of C-Diff when their initial disease was well treated and gone. It is common in people with long term or high dose antibiotics, or in persons with autoimmune problems, or cancer treatments. If the medications work for you that is wonderful but it does not for many. I have seen people actually have to go the youtube instruction route to do this at home, believe it or not. And believe it or not it was, though I don't recommend that route, a cure. There is more and more research and whereas there were only a few MDs who did this there are now more. Essentially it is --yup--capsules of someone elses treated poop to give you the normal flora any healthy bowel needs. Anyone who has dealt with C Diff understands the explosive, uncontrollable river it is; you cannot even leave your house. Nor can you hang on to the nutrients needed. You can google information about fecal transfers or fecal transplants easily; there is a lot of information on the internet and almost none in your MDs offices. Joyce Maynard, the author, discussed this when her husband almost died, during his cancer treatments, of the side effects of his C-Diff. It has mad this a now "subject nice folks can discuss out loud" just as Robin Williams death has made Lewy's Bodies Dementia more a household name. Good luck to you. And C-Diff is caused when our own system has no protection of "good bacteria". I was a nurse all my life. While we always gloved, we were never afraid of "catching C-Diff". C-Diff is an over proliferation of something that the normal bowel protects against. Read all you can about it on the internet.
Oral vancomycin works very well with c. diff. For more resistant cases fecal implant works. The danger is loss of fluids with the elderly--it's hard enough to get them to drink. The risk is dehydration and all of those complications. Home health workers who care for people with c-diff diarrhea may spread it to other home-health patients as it is highly contagious.
My daughter had c diff and it was misdiagnosed for quite some time so we didn’t know she had it. She got it in the hospital when she was over treated with (IV) antibiotics for a different illness.
Nurses and doctors treat patients with c diff all day long. You should be able to hire professional home nursing care if you need help.
Initially, I never used any protective clothing or gear because I didn’t know she had it, but it’s a good idea to use disposable gloves. Don’t share the bathroom with others if you have a choice.
I just used household bleach cleaning products (as always) while disinfecting the bathrooms and common areas.
Nobody else at home got it.
Make sure you’re not on too many antibiotics. If you were taking antibiotics for some other illness and picked up c-diff, it likely occurred because the (high dosage) antibiotics wiped out the intestinal “good” bacteria. My daughter didn’t get better until she was finally removed from all the initial antibiotics. I advocated for her after researching the medications. (The doctors wanted to keep her on the previous medications to prevent her from a recurrence of the other illness.)
She was then prescribed a medication to treat the c-diff only-that was effective
Look up the dosages, warnings and interactions of all your medications so that you can actively discuss with your doctor before taking.
By in home care do you mean you have C.diff or the person you are caring for has it. If you are a caregiver to someone that has C.diff any agency that you hire should have someone that is knowledgeable that can help care for her. It may cost more since they may say they need to send someone specially trained. If you need a caregiver for yourself same thing would apply. If you have to go in for treatment (there are treatments such as Fecal Transplant) then the person you are caring for could go into "respite" for the length of time it would take you to recover. Or you can hire a caregiver to care for you while you recover at home.
The way your question is worded it is difficult to figure out who has C.diff you or the person you care for.
Anyone that is caring for someone with C.diff should take proper precautions mask, gloves, gown, keeping all supplies in one area then once the C.diff has resolved I would dispose of any supplies that were opened during the course.
My aunt was home with c-diff and no one could help her. It took a long time for her to get rid of it so it would have been horrible for her to have stayed in that hospital all that time.
There aren’t many, if any, home health workers who will come out to treat someone with C-diff. They would need to wear gloves and masks, if not full hazmat suits. Most will refuse to help bathe or shower the person.
Can I ask why you aren’t in the hospital, under quarantine and on antibiotics? My husband, also with C-diff, was not released to go home until it was determined he was no longer contagious.
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.
If home health is something you are doing as private request and private pay, just call the home health company and ask.
Www.LetsFaceCDiff.com
My daughter had c diff and it was misdiagnosed for quite some time so we didn’t know she had it. She got it in the hospital when she was over treated with (IV) antibiotics for a different illness.
Nurses and doctors treat patients with c diff all day long. You should be able to hire professional home nursing care if you need help.
Initially, I never used any protective clothing or gear because I didn’t know she had it, but it’s a good idea to use disposable gloves. Don’t share the bathroom with others if you have a choice.
I just used household bleach cleaning products (as always) while disinfecting the bathrooms and common areas.
Nobody else at home got it.
Make sure you’re not on too many antibiotics. If you were taking antibiotics for some other illness and picked up c-diff, it likely occurred because the (high dosage) antibiotics wiped out the intestinal “good” bacteria. My daughter didn’t get better until she was finally removed from all the initial antibiotics. I advocated for her after researching the medications. (The doctors wanted to keep her on the previous medications to prevent her from a recurrence of the other illness.)
She was then prescribed a medication to treat the c-diff only-that was effective
Look up the dosages, warnings and interactions of all your medications so that you can actively discuss with your doctor before taking.
If you are a caregiver to someone that has C.diff any agency that you hire should have someone that is knowledgeable that can help care for her. It may cost more since they may say they need to send someone specially trained.
If you need a caregiver for yourself same thing would apply.
If you have to go in for treatment (there are treatments such as Fecal
Transplant) then the person you are caring for could go into "respite" for the length of time it would take you to recover.
Or you can hire a caregiver to care for you while you recover at home.
The way your question is worded it is difficult to figure out who has C.diff you or the person you care for.
Anyone that is caring for someone with C.diff should take proper precautions mask, gloves, gown, keeping all supplies in one area then once the C.diff has resolved I would dispose of any supplies that were opened during the course.
Can I ask why you aren’t in the hospital, under quarantine and on antibiotics? My husband, also with C-diff, was not released to go home until it was determined he was no longer contagious.