Dear Angel, My mom just moved to a nursing home and I want her to be happy and comfortable. Although she seems content, she has asked once or twice about returning home. What are the best ways to address this? Also, how can I help her to feel more at home there? Thanks for your […]
October Is Long-Term Care Planning Month
Dear Raider, I read that it is Long-Term Care Planning Month, and last night Lester Holt talked about the rising cost of living for aging Americans. With most things continuing to rise in price, I can’t even imagine the cost of long-term care these days. Do you have any recent information about what someone could […]
New Federal Rule Sets Minimum Staffing Requirements for Nursing Homes — the Biggest Reform in Nursing Home Policy in Decades
A federal mandate that sets minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes was finalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) last week. Three final rules were issued to “fulfill President Biden’s commitment to support family caregivers, boost compensation and job quality for care workers, expand and improve care options, and improve the safety […]
Coping with the “Transfer Trauma” of Moving a Loved One
Rachel, a caregiver for her mother who is in the early to mid-stages of dementia, is on the emotional roller coaster of moving her mom to an assisted living facility. It’s taking quite a toll on her and her mother, because Rachel’s mom has strongly expressed that she would much rather live in her own […]
Will My Mother Face Financial Ruin Paying for a Nursing Home?
Q. My mother has Parkinson’s, and it is progressively getting more difficult for her to do things on her own. She has fallen several times and is having trouble swallowing. We have an aide who comes to help her, but this level of care likely won’t be enough for much longer. I know she will […]
The Best Holiday Gifts for Nursing Home Residents
Dear Hayek, This year is my mother-in-law’s first Christmas in a nursing home. What are some thoughtful gift ideas to brighten her holidays, and what are some things we should keep in mind when shopping for her? Thanks so much for your help! Hollie Daise — Dear Hollie, Happy holidays! As you know, your time […]
Can You Reside with a Loved One in a Long-Term Care Facility when Your Health Situations Are Different?
Q. My parents just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They are one of those happy couples who spend every waking moment together and are still as much in love as the day they met. My mother has memory issues that are getting worse, and Dad needs dialysis several times a week. Mom will probably need […]
Jimmy Carter Enters Hospice Care — What That Really Means!
Former US President Jimmy Carter, 98, is both the oldest living and longest-lived US president. Recently, after a series of short hospital stays, he announced that he will spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention. Jimmy Carter held office from 1977 to 1981 as […]
How to Put a Stop to Illegal Nursing Home Debt Collection Tactics
Q. Happy New Year! My mother has dementia, and we are looking into nursing home options. I had lunch with a friend today, and she told me a horror story that involved debt collectors. My friend was surprised and incredibly upset when she received a collection letter for tens of thousands of dollars for her […]
Assisted Living Is Failing to Meet the Needs of Seniors in the US
The senior population in the United States has quadrupled since 1900 and is expected to continue growing significantly, with 46 percent of the baby boomer generation now age 65 and up. According to the Administration for Community Living’s Profile of Older Americans, by 2040, there will be 80.8 million older adults, more than twice as […]
Am I Financially Liable If I Sign a Nursing Home Agreement for Someone Else?
Dear Oakley, When a loved one enters a nursing home, who is the person who signs the legal documents? Would it be the individual themselves, the spouse, or the children? Does signing the papers make the person who signed financially responsible for the nursing home costs? Thanks, Lya Bull — Dear Lya, If the nursing […]
Is Nursing Home Eviction Ever Legal?
Q. My Aunt Betsy, who has dementia, was in a nursing home. She sometimes has issues with aggression and had a bad episode recently. She was admitted to a local hospital and when she was discharged, her children tried to get her back to the nursing home, but her children were told she couldn’t come […]
What Do You Do if You Are Threatened with Eviction from a Nursing Home?
Dear Hayek, I heard about a court case involving a woman with dementia who was evicted from a nursing home. I worry this could happen with my sister, as she has dementia and can become angry and aggressive. What does someone do if this happens to a family member? Thanks, E. Victett — Dear E. […]
What Is Included in a Care Plan?
Dear Angel, I read somewhere that federal law requires every nursing home to create a care plan. What is included in a care plan, and shouldn’t it be something that is created before a loved one enters a nursing home? Thanks for your help! Akira Plann — Dear Akira, That’s correct: federal law requires every […]
Is Your Loved One Ready for a Nursing Home?
Q. We have been caring for my mother in our home for the past five years. We think she needs more help than we can provide. How do you know when a loved one is ready for a nursing home? Thanks for your help! A. Caregivers and families often make a huge effort to keep […]
What is the Difference Between a Nursing Home and Assisted Living?
Sheila lives with her son, his wife, and her grandchildren in their home, and has been there for 3 years since her Parkinson’s started getting worse. They enjoy having her with them, but as her needs are becoming greater, they think she may need more support than they can provide. They have heard from some […]
These Non-Traditional Senior Living Facilities Have Almost No Coronavirus Cases
On a recent afternoon, Ruth Deardorff, 97, sat by the orchids and other potted flowers that she had chosen to line the windowsill of her room. After decades of gardening and growing flowers in the yard of her suburban home, she finds comfort in having flowers in her room. Ruth feels safe and content in […]
Choosing a Nursing Home for a Loved One During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Q. My mother has dementia and seems to be declining rapidly. Her needs are becoming more than my father and I, and a nurse’s aide, can handle at home. We’ve decided the time has come to consider nursing home care. All of the news stories I have read about long-term care facilities during the coronavirus […]
Virginia’s Nursing Homes Prepare for New Testing Requirement
Dear Angel, My father is in a nursing home in Spotsylvania County. I am concerned about his safety during the coronavirus pandemic. One concern is staff coming to work sick or asymptomatic, which happened in a nursing home where his friend resides. How often are Virginia nursing homes supposed to conduct testing of staff? Thanks […]
Futuristic Post-Pandemic Changes Coming to Senior Living?
Dear Angel, With the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and the danger it poses to residents, some things need to change now and for the future. What changes are being implemented and/or planned? Thanks! Chan Jess — Dear Chan, While it’s uncertain how or when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, […]
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