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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.
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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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I am 75 and live alone. Can you give me some information on how to prepare for living as my abilities decrease and what is available for help when I do.
Hi pschwe, Welcome to are forum. There is lots of good advice here. It's refreshing for someone to ask what they need to do for themselves, instead of children coming on with parents that made no plans, except to have there children to take care of them.
So I'm thinking of the things I wished my mom did before she got older
Id say first , make sure your bathroom is safe, a walk in shower is best but expensive, but very important, grab bars in many places is a must.
Bedroom, bath, washer and dry on the same floor.
Throw rugs are a trip hazard.
There are so many ways to figure out how to do things,not the easy way but ways people can do things without asking for help.
Figure out ways or Uber or rides to appointments if you can't drive.
Also I think is very important, is loneliness. My mom secluded her self, her and my dad was all they had. She gets very lonely, ill never live in the country because of the loneliness. I think my mom's brain would function much better if she had others closer to her age to chat with.
Best of luck, if I think of anything else I'll let you know.
Wise of you to be considering this. Call your local Area Agency on Aging and request a needs assessment. Also inquire about what is available to you in the way of help. Be sure all needed legal documents are in place, will, POA’s for healthcare and medical decisions, advanced directive, all of your wishes spelled out and well known. My dad made a notebook with loads of notes in addition to his legal documents, it was a huge help in knowing his information on insurance, phone numbers of his friends, so many things. Consider the safety and maintenance needs of your home, if it will be sustainable or if moving somewhere smaller or less involved to keep up might be wise. We’ve already downsized and will be doing so again. Lessen your belongings if needed. I wish you the best in considering all this
It is surely a massive subject, and one that would take a book to answer. Hey, someone has written one! (actually there are several). You might want to check out: Prepared!: A Healthcare Guide for Aging Adults by Cheryl Field | Aug 22, 2023. Ask for it or your local library; I found it on Amazon where there is a host of books. While most deal with preparing to help aging parents, they can help YOU as well.
You have good advice below. I'll add a few more things:
1. I would see an elder law attorney to make out your important papers. Keep them in a safe place; let family know where they're at. Don't lock them away in a safety box at the bank because no one can access that until they are executor or administrator of your estate. 2, Make a list of assets and expenses. 3. Speak with your doctor about a good advance directive. Some can hand you a good form. Kaiser system in California has a great one. Know you can add your own signed addendum to it. This expresses fully what you do and don't want done in dire illness. Be sure you have appointed a POA who can act for you and agrees to do so if needed. This form should be on file in your records; they scan it right in these days. 4. Look about the home. Think safety. Our balance goes. That can't be prevented but balance exercises HELP and at 82 I guarantee that. Look them up on the internet. Do them. Keep walking. Get raised toilet installed next time change needed. Have grab bars and safety matt in shower. 5. Plan for downsizing and cleaning out things. You can't take this stuff with you and this is a gift to your heirs. If you have stuff give it to them NOW and let them enjoy it. I have felt FREED by this, and enjoyed it immensely.
Good thinking on your part, and good luck, and remember, this is only a start!
pschwe2010, welcome to the forum. So many of us who are on the forum are seniors ourselves, and I am glad you are thinking ahead.
I am around your age, and it seems like overnight that my own abilities have decrease. Like, what's up with that? I am keeping my landline phone as I found I just can't use a cellphone anymore due to aging eyes and hands. If people want me, they can call on the house phone or email me as a full size keyboard/computer works just fine for me as I still have that high school typing class speed :)
Go to the blue/green bar at the top of this page... click on CARE TOPICS... and stroll through the various topics of interest. There are many good articles. And, of course, this forum which has a store house of knowledge.
When you need help with eating a decent diet, sign up for a local meal delivery service like Meals-On-Wheels or OSF's Peace Meals. Several of these programs have external funding sources and charge a very nominal suggested fee for their service. They have trained dieticians on staff that plan the meals so they're actually pretty decent.
As your handwriting deteriorates, you'll eventually need help with your checkbook. It's helpful if you have someone you can trust and go to the bank with them and have them added to your account as a signature authority. Then have a third person balance/resolve the register and statements quarterly.
pschwe2010, there are some other good ideas: www.agingcare.com/questions/ffor-those-of-us-who-are-seniors-what-was-the-one-thing-that-surprised-you-the-most-about-getting-ol-477958.htm?
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.
You'd be better of contacting your local Area Agency on Aging for the information you are interested in knowing.
So I'm thinking of the things I wished my mom did before she got older
Id say first , make sure your bathroom is safe, a walk in shower is best but expensive, but very important, grab bars in many places is a must.
Bedroom, bath, washer and dry on the same floor.
Throw rugs are a trip hazard.
There are so many ways to figure out how to do things,not the easy way but ways people can do things without asking for help.
Figure out ways or Uber or rides to appointments if you can't drive.
Also I think is very important, is loneliness. My mom secluded her self, her and my dad was all they had. She gets very lonely, ill never live in the country because of the loneliness. I think my mom's brain would function much better if she had others closer to her age to chat with.
Best of luck, if I think of anything else I'll let you know.
Hey, someone has written one! (actually there are several).
You might want to check out:
Prepared!: A Healthcare Guide for Aging Adults
by Cheryl Field | Aug 22, 2023.
Ask for it or your local library; I found it on Amazon where there is a host of books. While most deal with preparing to help aging parents, they can help YOU as well.
You have good advice below. I'll add a few more things:
1. I would see an elder law attorney to make out your important papers. Keep them in a safe place; let family know where they're at. Don't lock them away in a safety box at the bank because no one can access that until they are executor or administrator of your estate.
2, Make a list of assets and expenses.
3. Speak with your doctor about a good advance directive. Some can hand you a good form. Kaiser system in California has a great one. Know you can add your own signed addendum to it. This expresses fully what you do and don't want done in dire illness. Be sure you have appointed a POA who can act for you and agrees to do so if needed. This form should be on file in your records; they scan it right in these days.
4. Look about the home. Think safety. Our balance goes. That can't be prevented but balance exercises HELP and at 82 I guarantee that. Look them up on the internet. Do them. Keep walking. Get raised toilet installed next time change needed. Have grab bars and safety matt in shower.
5. Plan for downsizing and cleaning out things. You can't take this stuff with you and this is a gift to your heirs. If you have stuff give it to them NOW and let them enjoy it. I have felt FREED by this, and enjoyed it immensely.
Good thinking on your part, and good luck, and remember, this is only a start!
I am around your age, and it seems like overnight that my own abilities have decrease. Like, what's up with that? I am keeping my landline phone as I found I just can't use a cellphone anymore due to aging eyes and hands. If people want me, they can call on the house phone or email me as a full size keyboard/computer works just fine for me as I still have that high school typing class speed :)
Go to the blue/green bar at the top of this page... click on CARE TOPICS... and stroll through the various topics of interest. There are many good articles. And, of course, this forum which has a store house of knowledge.
As your handwriting deteriorates, you'll eventually need help with your checkbook. It's helpful if you have someone you can trust and go to the bank with them and have them added to your account as a signature authority. Then have a third person balance/resolve the register and statements quarterly.