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I’m in the process of helping my 81-year old mother apply to a continuing care community, which will include their own physical and mental health screenings. I’ve noticed my mom’s memory decline over the past few years (forgetting common words, names, and misplacing things), and more recently am seeing loss in executive function (calendar management, forgetting the day of the week, unable to learn new things or follow simple instructions, use her iPhone and computer effectively). The community will require that my mom initially be able to live independently to be accepted, and certainly, she can still bathe, dress, cook, shop, drive, walk without help, go up and down stairs holding a railing, etc. So I wonder what degree of mental decline will keep her from being accepted. Does anyone have experience with having gone through this?

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Cook?
Is she applying for Independent Living or ALF?
Because typically you do not cook in ALF. Meals are provided as is cleaning, laundry, medications if needed.
It is unlikely that mom will fail. My brother, with his early Lewy's was fine, did very well.
Forgetfulness and mental decline is fine. But certain things such as wandering of campus is not.
Attend with her. Allow for exam without you present as well. They will love your input and to interview you regarding her limitations and so on. Very valuable.
From all you say I think she will pass with flying colors.
I hope you will update us.
When you go in be sure to ask about levels of care and what they consist of.
Ask about raises in price, how often and what to expect.
Ask about notifications of injury and how that is done should fall occur.
Just feel free to ask a lot of questions and to get their packet on what they provide and what the cost is.
Good luck.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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My dh works for a ccrc. Here’s how it works.

1. You pay from 200k+ plus for a condo.
2. You then prepay another 300k, which is about 5 years of “hoa” at 7000k a month. It’s nonrefundable. You can opt to pay 650k, 80 percent of which would be refundable if you happen to die or need to leave.
3. There is no locked mc. There is a tiny al that consists of small rooms, which you have to pay double for. Otherwise, it’s on you to hire aides from wherever to help with adls.
3b. The whole community is geared toward independent living.
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Reply to PeggySue2020
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The more she can do, the less work for them, will improve her chances of being accepted.
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Reply to cover9339
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My mother applied for, was accepted, and moved in to her CCRC at age 79. She was (and still is) in good health with little cognitive decline. This doesn’t answer your question directly, but it was our experience that the value of the assets you bring to the table matters. They will overlook minor cognitive or health issues if her resources are robust. They accepted my mother based only on her initial meeting with the sales staff, medical records and balance sheet. They told us the tests were “perfunctory” and, in fact, skipped one interview altogether. I am not being critical of CCRC’s; they never claimed to be “low income.” They want to be assured that the resident has plenty of resources for increasing levels of care, won’t complain too much when they raise prices, and might make contributions to the foundation or resident fund. I would think about the whole package your mom brings to the CCRC, not just her cognitive limitations.
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Reply to DShigley
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