What questions should you ask? Monthly room and board is by far your largest assisted living expense. Private rooms (Studio's) come in different sizes, the larger the studio the higher the cost. Typically, all rooms have kitchenettes and handicap accessible bathrooms with shower benches. (Jump to Lessons Learned) Here are some examples of typical monthly room and board … [Read more...]
Thinking About an Assisted Living Community?
What you need to know about financial, health and legal requirements. Nursing Homes and Assisted Living facilities are not the same, but many people don’t understand the difference. Nursing homes are a “skilled nursing” facility (SNF), designed for residents that need constant nursing supervision. Assisted living communities on the other hand, do just that, assist … [Read more...]
Grief Is A Personal Journey
There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Update note: Grief is a topic I have written about before and this post is from the 2nd anniversary of dad’s death. But this week we lost one of my father’s siblings and it was like losing him all over again. One more tie to the person I loved is gone and I’m grieving the loss of our beloved family member, that tie to dad and of … [Read more...]
Caregiving is an Emotional Journey
Not all the emotions are pretty. When I started on this caregiving journey, panic was the overwhelming emotion. Panic was soon joined by feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by all the decisions that had to be made and all the choices in front of us. Which one was best? Was it the right one physically, emotionally, financially for mom? At that point what I needed didn’t even … [Read more...]
Rehabilitation after Surgery, Stroke or Hospital Stay
What happens if you still need help after a hospital stay? It is common to need help to regain strength, manage a chronic illness, or re-learn activities of daily living after a hospital stay. But who determines what type of rehabilitation is needed? Who determines if help at home or in a facility is best? What are the criteria for release to a rehabilitation facility as set … [Read more...]