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:
I hope you have made some progress since your post. I was wondering how much of a decline did you see?
Some people with neurodegenerative disorders hire a live in caregiver. If you have private insurance, I would check what the coverage is for physical therapy and occupational therapy and home health aides.
That's a bizarre answer. Not sure where you get the idea he isn't helping already. Parkinson's will progress to where he will not be able to properly care for his wife. It may have reached that point already and both are suffering for it. There are limits to what all of us can do, even the best of us and the most healthy and able. We don't know how healthy and able OP is.
To the OP, Jeff, don't ever let yourself feel guilty for not being able to do things you weren't able to do. Focus on what you can do right now to help your wife. If that means placing her in a home because that is the best place for her to be taken care of than you need to do it. Best wishes.
The words affordable and home care don't equate or belong in the same sentence. There is no such thing, if done legally.
Home care for my mom alone would have been about 10K a month. Time to look at facilities which are also expensive, my area assisted living starts at about 3K a month, memory care at about 4.5K a month, nursing home about 10K a month. Care Homes are a good option where you can often get an increased level of care for less than nursing homes or memory care at 3.5 K a month, to start. Nothing about long term care is really what could be considered affordable.
See an elder law attorney about getting wife on Medicaid so you do not become impoverished.
Start planning the transition to a SNF or Nursing Home. Start planning transitioning to Medicaid. There is no affordable home care. It runs around $25 and hour and your wife will need eventually 24/7 care. Meet with an elder law attorney if you have some assets (property, savings, insurance policies) so you can plan your future. You will need to spend down what you have on the home care workers while protecting part of your assets for your future until she qualifies for Long Term Care Medicaid. If your state has in home Medicaid care, look into that, but most likely it won't be available 24/7 and your wife will need that level of supervision. Start looking into nursing homes and get her on waiting lists if necessary. I went through all of this, but started too late. Parkinsons's is progressive and it will hit you all of a sudden like a ton of bricks if you're not prepared.
I read in your profile that your wife has Parkinson’s.
Was your wife young when she was diagnosed with her Parkinson’s disease?
I took care of my mom for decades with Parkinson’s. She just turned 94. She lived with me for over 14 years.
Her neurologist has said that if a person is diagnosed at a younger age the disease will progress more rapidly. My mother was diagnosed at an older age, unlike Michael J. Fox who was diagnosed younger and the disease progressed much quicker.
Mobility is a huge issue as Parkinson’s progresses. Home health helps greatly if you can get the doctor to order it. Insurance does pay for it. Occupational and physical therapy designed for Parkinson’s patients can improve balance and strength.
Best wishes to you and your wife. I have witnessed this first hand and it’s so hard to watch. Parkinson’s effects everyone differently. Meds can help but as you know there is no cure.
Jeff, ditto to suggestions already posted. If possible please have your wife checked for a UTI, which may be the underlying cause of her confusion. It is easily treated with antibiotics. If you are concerned about affordable care, you may want to consider letting go of aging in place. Getting you and your wife into a reputable facility before you need to apply for Medicaid may be something to consider. You will have all the help you need and be together. You will be in a community of peers and have a social life. You won't have to make the decision to move in a crisis or when you are overwhelmed and stressed and exhausted and depressed from trying to slog it out alone. Once you are in a place you desire and then need to apply for Medicaid, you cannot be kicked out. You will get all the same care but will need to share a room. That's the only difference. Wishing you solutions that work for you both!
Start with the doctor who treats her for PD. They will often have resources. Then, call Medicare if she’s on it and also her supplemental if she has one. Finally call your local Area Agency on Aging to see if they have any resources for you. But, he aware that home care isn’t cheap. The only way it might be affordable is to only have someone come in a few hours a few times a week.
Sorry to hear that your wife is getting worse. An option is to pay an agency to provide Caregivers and yes it is costly. If she is Medicaid she may be eligible for a few hours a day.
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.
Some people with neurodegenerative disorders hire a live in caregiver. If you have private insurance, I would check what the coverage is for physical therapy and occupational therapy and home health aides.
Time for you to start helping her with the things that are difficult or impossible for her to do.
That way you can hire someone else to come in and help with the heavy lifting type things that you are not able to do.
I have to say that this is where the rubber meets the road in a marriage and really shows what type of character the well spouse has.
Here's to finding the best routine to ensure that your wife gets the care she requires.
To the OP, Jeff, don't ever let yourself feel guilty for not being able to do things you weren't able to do. Focus on what you can do right now to help your wife. If that means placing her in a home because that is the best place for her to be taken care of than you need to do it. Best wishes.
Home care for my mom alone would have been about 10K a month. Time to look at facilities which are also expensive, my area assisted living starts at about 3K a month, memory care at about 4.5K a month, nursing home about 10K a month. Care Homes are a good option where you can often get an increased level of care for less than nursing homes or memory care at 3.5 K a month, to start. Nothing about long term care is really what could be considered affordable.
See an elder law attorney about getting wife on Medicaid so you do not become impoverished.
I read in your profile that your wife has Parkinson’s.
Was your wife young when she was diagnosed with her Parkinson’s disease?
I took care of my mom for decades with Parkinson’s. She just turned 94. She lived with me for over 14 years.
Her neurologist has said that if a person is diagnosed at a younger age the disease will progress more rapidly. My mother was diagnosed at an older age, unlike Michael J. Fox who was diagnosed younger and the disease progressed much quicker.
Mobility is a huge issue as Parkinson’s progresses. Home health helps greatly if you can get the doctor to order it. Insurance does pay for it. Occupational and physical therapy designed for Parkinson’s patients can improve balance and strength.
Best wishes to you and your wife. I have witnessed this first hand and it’s so hard to watch. Parkinson’s effects everyone differently. Meds can help but as you know there is no cure.
It is very important to clarify how the facility handles the transition from self pay to Medicaid.
An option is to pay an agency to provide Caregivers and yes it is costly. If she is Medicaid she may be eligible for a few hours a day.