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Which best describes their mobility?
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How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
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Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
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bdinehart, If it is only a thyroid med, I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over it. In a hospice situation, all meds are discontinued except comfort care. For my MIL, the only med they kept was the roxanol, which is liquid morphine, which can just be applied into the cheek and absorbed in the gums.
It is common at the end of life to gradually remove any meds that are not absolutely essential for comfort. They are difficult to administer and there effects for the last few weeks won't be missed, i.e. those for high cholesterol and osteoporosis. if Mom has absolutely no thyroid function because it was removed then it might be a good idea to continue as it is only a tiny pill and easy to take. however blood tests need to be done on a regular basis to determine the dosage. is this being done. Thyroid meds could be considered in the comfort spectrum as the patient will become very lethargic and other things without it. Is your sister caring for Mom at home? If she is there is no one there to supervise what she does or does not give Mom. If not she can not legally order another person to with hold meds. Same goes for any meds, they can not be decreased or increased without a prescription. What a patient or caregiver does in private is usually considered to be done of their own free will. If someone takes extra medication and runs out early the Dr will not give a new prescription to automatically make up the difference. A patient has the right to refuse any and all treatment. i don't know if this extends to the POA's powers. Pam will probably know.
bdinehart, does your sister give an explanation as to why she is withholding your Mom's thyroid medication? Have you or her ever sat down with your Mom's doctor to discuss your Mom's medications and tell the doctor that your sister is your Mom's POA and wants to withhold your Mom's meds? My best advice is to talk to both your sister for her motives and your Mom's doctor and hopefully you will understand what is going on better. Best of luck and lots of hugs for your Mom and for you and your family.
Question, is your Mother now under Hospice care? If yes, then it is up to the Hospice doctor to remove or assign any medications. Therefore, unless your sister is a Hospice physician assigned to your mother's case, she cannot without medications.
Follow the advice here about checking with Mom's doctor or hospice. If she isn't under hospice care, now is a good time to do so. Hospice will provide support to those of you caring for Mom. Your sister may feel guilty later on if she withdraws Mom's medication on her own.
The first thing to do is find out if your sister is withholding through physician knowledge. Next, and this may be the most difficult to find out, is this a decision your mother made prior to her incapacity. Certainly, your mother cannot make this decision now, however was this a decision by your mother, stated in front of a medical professional.
This is a situation which comes up many times in dementia care. If the physician was a part of the decision or if an attorney has a voice in this decision you have your answer. I have known many people who are faced with decision. And the question comes up in Pallatitive Care or Hospice care. Your information needs to be more structured so you have the information to clearly see the whole picture.
There are only 2 reasons for medication-to cure a disease or to provide pain relief. At the end stage of Alzheimer's disease, no one is curing any disease. The only reason for meds is for the comfort of the patient.
Several months ago I was going over my moms medication with a home health nurse. We came to a vaginal ring that released hormons. The nurse asked why my mom was using it. Frankly she had been using it some time before I began managing her meds and hadn't really given it any thought. But yeah, why was an 88 yr old woman taking hormone replacement? Pardon the "ewwee" factor here - So I asked moms GYN. Seems mom has a skin condition "there" that without the hormone ring, would become very itchy. Pretty sure no one at the NH wanted any scratching going on...needless to say the ring stayed. Morale of my story: ask the doctor before making any medication changes - even to ones that seemingly make no sense!
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
Is your sister caring for Mom at home? If she is there is no one there to supervise what she does or does not give Mom. If not she can not legally order another person to with hold meds. Same goes for any meds, they can not be decreased or increased without a prescription. What a patient or caregiver does in private is usually considered to be done of their own free will. If someone takes extra medication and runs out early the Dr will not give a new prescription to automatically make up the difference. A patient has the right to refuse any and all treatment. i don't know if this extends to the POA's powers. Pam will probably know.
This is a situation which comes up many times in dementia care. If the physician was a part of the decision or if an attorney has a voice in this decision you have your answer. I have known many people who are faced with decision. And the question comes up in Pallatitive Care or Hospice care. Your information needs to be more structured so you have the information to clearly see the whole picture.
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