"Don't answer unknown calls" isn't enough when your loved one with dementia may forget the warning. A phone that only rings for trusted contacts, or a P.O. box you sort, works without them remembering.
There are over 24,000 Medicare plans, and they change every year. I asked Ari Parker of Chapter which Medicare mistakes cost people most, and what to check before open enrollment closes.
What if one sticky note could tell you everything you need to know about better dementia care? This powerful exercise will change how you plan for the future.
Gene Hackman's wife was 30 years younger, and she died first. Nobody checked in for six days. So I set up a daily check-in with a friend: one text a day, and a 24-hour rule.
One caregiver for every eleven or twelve residents. That's what nursing homes told me on my tours. A group home looks like any house on your street, and the numbers are very different.
I don't know a single human being who can provide 24/7 supervision. When safety, aggression or burnout reach that point, it may be time for a different level of care. Not a better one.
Your loved one gets upset if you raise concerns in front of them. You can hand the list to the nurse, call ahead, or message the clinic before you ever walk in.
Many caregivers promise never to use a nursing home, and then something changes. These are the three reasons I see most often, and why choosing one doesn't mean you love them less.
"Because my dad has dementia, he can't sign power of attorney paperwork." A son was told that by a doctor, and it isn't accurate. A doctor doesn't make that legal call.
The more you bring up the doctor, the angrier your loved one gets. Sometimes the call has to come from someone else, and sometimes the doctor can come to the house.
Some friends and family will step up in amazing ways. Many won't know what to do, and they'll pull away. That's one of five changes nearly every dementia caregiver goes through.
