TO DO’S

Identify homes that are geographically located close where you want the resident to live.

Call each home and ask if there is availability.

The ones that have openings, take a copy of this list and ‘show up’ for a visit.

When you arrive, ask to walk around immediately.

Look in each room, bedroom, bathroom and around the facility.

Look at the residents. Talk to the residents. Ask if they like it there.

Then sit down with this list, (one page of questions for each facility).

Ask the questions and write down the answers as you get them.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

How long has this facility been open?

Are you licensed?
May I see a copy of the license?
How many beds are there?
How many beds are available now?
How many staff are there?
How many staff are there from 6AM to 6PM each day?
Is there awake staff at night?
Does the home specialize in the disease that your parent suffers from (dementia, stroke, etc.)?
Is there a special care for Alzheimer’s or dementia?
What is the daily routine?
What activities are there daily?
What are the visiting hours?
Can residents bring personal items and furniture?
What common areas are there inside? Outside?
When are mealtimes?
Can I get a copy of the menu?
What was served yesterday for Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner?
Where is the food prepared?
Are snacks provided between meals?
What kind of snacks?
How often do you shop for food?
If my loved one doesn’t want what is served, what is provided?
Who controls the medications?
Do you use med logs or a MAR record for each resident?
Who orders the medications?
If a resident is given the wrong medication, what do you do?
Do doctors come to the home?
When was the last doctor visit to the home?
Can residents continue to see their personal doctors?
In a medical emergency, who do you call for help?
Are paramedics available to come to the home in an emergency?
When was the last time they were called?
Can I get their phone number? (You want to visit them and ask about the home)
Do you do hospice care?
Is the charge the same?
If more, why – hospice is paid for by Medicare, what do you charge more for?
Can I get a list of people who have placed here to call for recommendation?
What is the cost per month?
What is your refund policy?
Do you charge extra for anything?
How often do you change your rates?
If my loved one dies there, do you refund the balance of money?
Does the facility have any complaints or lawsuits filed against it?
What is the complaint?
May I talk to one of your staff in private? If yes, ask the staff member about the facility and the owner.

Good luck … happy hunting.

The post Finding a home for your loved one appeared first on Lakeside Manor.

Respite Care San Diego

Manage Feelings of Guilt

Feelings of guilt are often associated with caring for persons who require constant care, however, the best thing you can do for yourself is manage those feelings as soon as you notice them. As a caregiver, you are only as good as you feel. This may sound a little strange but it’s true. If you are not at your best, it is impossible for you to deliver the best care possible to the person you are caring for. If you are experiencing feelings of anxiety and stress, the person you are caring for will feel the effects.

You must always remember, even though your loved one is in a state where it would appear they are completely unaware of what is going on around them, they still have the ability to feel and to sense danger, experience emotional hurt, and have a general sense of something being wrong with the person in charge of their care. This is one of the reasons why respite care is such an important element to add into your treatment plan. Respite Care San Diego affords you the freedom, and grants you the permission you need to be able to take a step back, and just take a much-needed break, so you can refresh and rejuvenate yourself.

You have to understand that it is impossible to be all things to all people, especially to those you are responsible for taking care of. You should also come to understand, you should never feel guilty about taking some time out for yourself, because the truth of the matter is, the time you spend taking care of yourself and doing something you enjoy only enhances your ability to give the person you are caring for the best care possible.

Keeping Everything in Balance

If you are the caregiver for someone who has Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia, sometimes it can be difficult to take care of all of the tasks you are responsible for in any given day. You may have noticed your loved one is more difficult to handle during certain times of the day. There is a reason for this, and the term associated with this phenomenon is sundowning. Sundowning occurs during the late afternoon to the early evening hours and is triggered when the sun begins to fade. As the evening hours move into nighttime hours, sundowning tends to get worse. Generally, by morning, people tend to be better, but if you are the one who had to provide the care and attention needed during those hours, you are more than likely going to be both emotionally and physically drained.

Respite care can be the answer to helping you find your sense of balance, and help you maintain your physical and mental health. Just knowing you have somewhere safe you can take your loved one can help put your mind at ease while you take a break and partake in activities you enjoy.

Not Just for the Elderly

Respite care is not only for those who are elderly. If you are the primary caregiver for someone who has a chronic or debilitating illness like Downs Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis, for instance, respite care can benefit you. Often times when persons are being cared for in the home, they tend to feel a certain sense of isolation. If they are elderly, they may have experienced the deaths of several friends, or they may have fallen into a state of depression because they are not socializing at the levels they were accustomed to when they lived independently.

Everyone needs socialization, and everyone needs to feel like their life has a purpose. Respite care can help caregivers and those who care for them by giving those who may feel isolated a place they can go outside of the home. There they can communicate with others in similar situations. They also have the opportunity to socialize with others in their peer group. Sometimes just being around others in similar situations is enough to give those who have lost their sense of independence the will to move forward and make the adjustments needed to accept their current state of being.

Extended and Emergency Care

It is important to recognize, respite care is not only there to give you a break for a few hours, respite care is also available to help you when you need to go out of town for a weekend away, and also times when you need to be gone for a week or more due to an out of town work assignment. You should consider visiting facilities offering respite care in case of an emergency. If for some reason, you needed to place your loved one you, need the comfort of knowing you didn’t just place them somewhere because of desperation. You need to be able to trust the facility caring for your loved one, so visiting respite care facilities before an emergency arises will prevent you from experiencing undue stress at a time when you need it the least.

Remember, respite care is there to take some of the burden away from you, the caregiver. Respite services can be provided in the home, or outside of the home. Respite care services can include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• helping you organize a personalized care plan
• giving you an opportunity to take a break
• taking care of chores around the home like cooking, cleaning, and helping with basic hygiene
• Socialization
• connecting you with support groups 

You don’t have to handle everything on your own. There is help available, and caring people who are there to take care of your loved one and give you the peace of mind you need to live a life that is full and healthy. Give a Respite Care facility a call today to see how it can be of service to you.

The post Respite Care San Diego | Everyone Needs a Break appeared first on Lakeside Manor.

It can be difficult to create a dementia-proof living situation at home. The cost, time and knowledge required to incorporate necessary safety precautions in the face of Alzheimer’s are overwhelming. Most homes, as well as homes’ surroundings, simply have too many pitfalls. Even the biggest budgets, hired design experts and best of intentions can fall short. In many cases, dementia’s safety requirements can best be met by the attention of a dedicated, alert, full-time, around the clock staff, along with a tenet of tried and true procedures based on years of experience.

Most Alzheimer’s dementia patients will be safest and best attended to in a professional, well-designed, high-quality dementia care facility. But where this is concerned, not all dementia care facilities are the utmost in professionalism, design or quality.

When touring and interviewing dementia care facilities, there are dozens of things you can look for (and ask) that will indicate a facility’s safety and care standards. Below are five important safety precaution areas to consider. These are the basics, in no particular order. They’re of equal importance. If these areas don’t pass muster, don’t waste your time. Do take a few moments to let someone know. Below this article are links to California Assisted Living facility resources.

1. THE BASICS – SECURITY, CALL SYSTEMS AND GENERAL EMERGENCIES

Emergency and nurse call systems should be plentiful and working in all public and private areas. In resident suites, call systems should be accessible from multiple points, including bedsides, kitchenettes, bathrooms (toilet and shower) and living room areas. It is also recommended that you provide a wearable safety monitoring system for your loved one, along with an identification bracelet. Though good facilities are aware of and equipped to prevent wandering, there have been residents who’ve gotten out of even the most secure facilities.

Security cameras should be present throughout hallways and common areas. Outside doors should be properly locked and attended (unless they lead to safe areas such as gardens that residents might come and go from independently). Windows should have safety locks. There should be ample emergency exits with alarms. Check for locks and peepholes on resident doors.

Check for smoke, fire and carbon monoxide alarms as well as sprinklers. Find out how often they’re tested. Ask about emergency drills and procedures. Are there emergency plans in writing in the event of fires, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and so on? Are there emergency supply kits? Power generators? Where do residents evacuate to and how will families be notified? How will medication and care be handled in the event of an evacuation?

Security measures should be in place, including a visitor check-in desk requiring photo identification.

All health and safety inspection certificates should be up to date. Licenses should be available to view upon request.

The facility should be open and welcoming to visitors, even when they make unannounced visits.

2. FACILITY DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE

Public spaces should be easy to navigate. Pathways are clear of wires and objects. Flooring materials are non-slip, non-chipped, well maintained and wide enough to accommodate at least two-way wheelchair traffic. Any carpeting should be very flat, wall to wall and shouldn’t have any loose edges, pulls or rips. Wherever possible, handrails should be present in all areas. Lighting should be plentiful, pleasant and devoid of harsh bright spots and shadows.

All common and private bathrooms should be fully handicapped accessible. Showers should be walk-in accessible and include a bench or safe shower chair, along with a non-slip flooring surface.

Furnishings, particularly beds and chairs, should be at a height that makes them easy for elderly patients to get in and out of. Chairs should have armrests. Furniture should be stable, clean and in good repair, without sharp corners, splinters or edges. Residents’ cupboards and shelving should be reachable.

A facility should look and smell clean. It should have procedures in place to pre-empt the spread of common illnesses and infections. Hand washing and sanitizing stations should be accessible.

A facility should look well-maintained, from the grounds and outer building on in. Look for signs of oversight or neglect.

Reflective tape or lighting should be present to indicate stairwells. Bottom and top steps should be clearly demarcated. Handicapped accessible elevators should be easily accessible.

Ask about cooling and heating. Can residents control the temperature of their rooms? Are there central systems or individual units?

3. MEDICATION MANAGEMENT AND BASIC NURSING/MEDICAL

Ask about a dedicated staff and system for administering resident medications. Find out about backup if it becomes necessary.

Find out if first aid and nursing services are provided. Are any additional medical services provided? What procedures are in place for emergency care? What procedures are in place for annual medical checkups or dental care?

Are there doctors, physical therapists or other medical personnel that visit on site? What is the procedure for arranging appointments? Is transportation provided for seeing doctors and therapists off site?

4. STAFF

Does staff appear to be plentiful, present and approachable? Are they interested in and involved with residents? Are they interested in meeting your loved one? Do you feel welcome? Look for signs of over-stressed, over-hurried staff members. Ask about staff to resident ratio, staff member specializations and training, staff turnover rates and staff/management relationships.

5. Alzheimer’s Dementia Care RESIDENTS

Residents should appear clean and freshly dressed. They should look, at least, content and comfortable. At most, they should look engaged and involved.

Residents should have easy access to snacks and water between meals.

Ask a director or manager about how residents are interviewed and accepted to the facility. Are residents permitted who have contagious illnesses? Are residents accepted that have a history of harming themselves or others?

Take time in viewing facilities, getting informed and choosing a facility that meets your standards. We keep an active blog, and provide many articles about caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s dementia, along with information about the disease itself. Also, below are additional resources that can be helpful:

California Assisted Living Association (Information on Assisted Living Laws and Regulations):

http://caassistedliving.org/provider-resources/laws-regulations/

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform:

http://www.canhr.org/factsheets/rcfe_fs/html/rcfe_needtoknow_fs.htm

OSHA Requirements for Assisted Living Facilities:

https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/osha-requirements-assisted-living-facilities-16183.html

The Joint Commission and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality:

https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/talkingquality/resources/initiatives/joint.html

Resources for Alzheimer’s dementia caregivers:

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-best-resources-in-helping-elderly-parents-with-dementia

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