What’s the average length of time someone is in AL or a SNF? How long has your LO been in one?
My mother is 84 and has been in AL for the past 5.5 years. I moved her there after quadruple bypass surgery because my father is gone and she needed more help than I could give her being half hour away and having 3 small kids.
She has stage 4 COPD and CHF and while she acts like she’s dying and can’t do anything - she actually pretty healthy and capable she just feels like she’s reached a place where she likes everything done for her.
I was really surprised to read the average length of stay in AL is less than 2 years and wonder why? Is it because $ runs out or most people enter at a much higher age? Is she just not as sick as most in al?
I admit when she first moved in I assumed she was on a downward spiral and would not live more than a few years but 5.5 years later she’s pretty much the same.
It makes me think she’s not as ‘compromised’ as she acts and she just likes having everything done for her. She’s never been one to push herself and I have always felt like she could die at any second so I do whatever I have to to make her happy.
I’be completely burnt myself out over the past 5 years thinking ‘this is it’ but she literally bounces back from every illness and is fine.
Not sure what the point of this is other than I feel like I’ve had an light bulb moment and feel like I’ve been fooled ;-( I adore my mom but I’ve given so much to her and I don’t have a lot left and I literally can’t imagine doing this for another 5+ years.
Now what does LO, AL, and SNF mean? It is pure Greek to me. Please explain.
Assisted Living
Skilled Nursing Facility