It seems like just yesterday mom was tending a garden. But the last few months she’s been walking more slowly, depending on that walker she always resented. She used to put care into every meal, and now it seems like the microwave is a go-to for every meal. Yesterday you got the call, mom’s neighbor found her on the floor and called 911. Now the doctor is telling you that Mom can’t go home, “she’s just not strong enough to live independently any more. Mom needs 24 hour care.” What’s your next step?
Making a long-term care decision is not easy. Nobody wants to be that family on the news crying with regret about the terrible treatment their parent received at an abusive home. Thankfully the reality is that abuse is very rare (media reporting bias aside). But there are so many levels of care and so many homes that provide different options. It is difficult to decide which option is the best fit to meet mom’s growing level of care needs.
Assessing level of care involve looking at several aspects of a person’s physical and mental well-being. We use the four M’s at All Seasons to assess levels of care needs.
Mandatories
Daily Grooming and Hygiene, Bathing, Toileting, Dressing, Housekeeping, Eating
Medical
Vitals reporting, Licensed Medical Visits, Incontinence Management, Oxygen/Breathing Treatments, Diabetes, Skin/Wound Care, Catheter, Vision/Hearing Assistance, Special Diet, Medication Management, Hospice Care
Memory
Level of Awareness, Behaviors, Escorting, Time/Place Orientation, Wandering
Mobility
Ambulatory/Non-Ambulatory, Fall Risk, Transfer Ability, Transportation
Each one of these needs a post to address them in more detail and you can look for that in the near future. Also I think we’ll put this information into an excel spreadsheet or some sort of calculable tool that can be helpful to people making that assessment at home. If you have any questions about the care process, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.
