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My 92 year old mom has been in a memory care facility (well known and very expensive) for 3-mos - I don't know how long I will keep her there as I am not happy with it for a variety of reasons but until I decide to change I'm concerned that there are too many "house" pets and staff incl exec admin bring their dogs to work

These dogs are not only a hazard for my mom and others who use walkers but residents feed them off dinnerware and they're allowed into the dining room where they both urninate and defecate - staff is insufficient to attend residents let alone all these animals

I've already complained to exec admin but she said couldn't really do anything (she brings her dog to work too).

Since my mom had a bad fall there already I've hired a personal caregiver for 12 hours a day which I cannot afford much longer - I'm afraid if I escalate the complaint outside the facility then care for her will worsen

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how many are we talking per resident ?
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Immediately start looking for a safe facility for your mother. The dogs are a hazard. You state, " I am not happy with (the place) for a variety of reasons." Until his death, my late husband lived for six months in a good, but not luxurious nursing home. The only animals there were live birds behind glass. I am 85 years old in excellent mental condition and fairly good physical shape. I have fallen twice in the last six months, and am in the process of moving to an independent living facility. One dog lives there. He goes home at night with his owner, a staff member. The animal is a retired therapy dog. I feel safe in his presence.
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this is happening at my mom's residence too. staff and residents have pets. mostly dogs. even on a leash, they can get underfoot. I've seen several with the leash that pulls out (?) and can get quite long. one wrapped around someone's legs, while they were walking. ended ok, but still..
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Don't sweat the small stuff. No residential facility will satisfy all of your wishes. Just make sure your mother is safe and well cared for. How did you choose this facility? Leave her there while you do research on other places. Go and visit yourself several times before uprooting your mother. Then, if you need to move her, you will know what the pros and cons of each place are and what you can expect.
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Animals can be great therapy. But they need to be well mannered and toilet trained.
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Really depends on how many animals you're talking about. The memory care facility where Dad lived had dogs and cats and a huge cage of birds. I thought it was wonderful; actually those pets were the final deciding factor when I chose the place. Nothing makes a place feel more like home than having pets. (The only pee or poop on the floor there, came from a few of the residents. Not the pets.) As for fall risks, none of these pets were on leashes indoors, only when the dogs were taken outside. (It was a locked unit. Those critters weren't going anywhere.) I'm curious about the OP's overall feelings about pets, whether they really like them in other situations? Is this coloring your view on the situation? If your parent enjoys the animals, it would be very sad to remove that one final pleasure from their life, by moving them away. They have so little enjoyment as it is.
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Dogs peeing and pooping in the dining room?! That would be enough for me to want a change, and to report to the health department. There's just no way that's right. I can see pets on premises, but there should but limits in place. Ugh!
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The dogs should not be allowed in the dining room EVER! It is against AZ state law due to health reasons. Notify your state's licensing board about this facility and they will take care of it with fines and bad reviews. Take her out if you are uncomfortable with the situation. Usually animals are a good thing, lowering blood pressures and overall health, but if one is allergic then it becomes a problem and the fall issue is another concern of mine too.
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If you are unhappy for several reasons then you should move your Mother. You want her to have the best/safe care possible. I think that the pets are great therapy but they must be controlled so that it is safe for the residents. We take our dog to visit my Mother and the residents that are dog people are always delighted. Having your pet visit any place comes with responsibility for the pet owner. If you don't feel good about where Mom is then by all mean move her.
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Having a pet around can do wonders for a persons mental and physical well being. When my brother and I were looking for a nursing home for our mom it took two months. One of thing things we were hoping to find is a place that took pets - our mom is VERY attached to her cat and it was very difficult for her to move without him. I'm a dog person - have had one or two pretty consistently for the past thirty years - currently I have two that I adore. That said - I'm the crabby old lady in the neighborhood who will yell at you out the window if you let your dog poo on my lawn and don't clean up after it - it makes me crazy! Pets are only as well behaved as their owners expect them to be - it's really not the dogs fault - and it's too bad the owners in this situation are so irresponsible! So - complain to management and/or move mom out if the situation isn't immediately corrected. Whether it's the animals or the humans peeing and pooing in common areas - neither is acceptable.
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I can sympathize since I don't care much forr dogs. So, if not an animal lover I can see where this would bother you. They should not be allowed in a dining area or where food is prepared. Residents who have them should be able to care for them. I don't see how staff should be allowed to bring them to work. How can they keep an eye on their animal while working. I'm surprised the state is allowing some of this. You may want to see when the last time the facility was inspected. Also, bring up your converns. It may be this "dog thing" has been taken too far.
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Pets are known to be good for patients with both Alzheimers as well as other conditions. I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. You obviously do not like animals, so therefore you should choose somewhere else to place your parent. I for one, would prefer to be somewhere were animals were permitted! I doubt that they are the problem, that you make them out to be!
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I'd suggest getting in touch with your local Long Term Care Ombudsman; this person should be able to direct you through the proper channels to perhaps make a complaint to your state's facility licensing board, but might also be able to help you identify a better facility for your mother. I agree that animals are so therapeutic for people with dementia, but not at the risk of safety. Of course, you could just move your mother but that wouldn't be helping all the other folks who live there and are possibly at risk too.
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In searching for the right memory care facility for my sister, we found it a 'plus' that there would be animals there too: several dogs, two cats, and some caged birds. The birds' owner (I don't think he is a resident) comes in to attend to the birds. The residents are not allowed to feed the dogs and misbehaving animals are banned. One of the cats spends most of its afternoons in my sister's room, which makes her happy. This facility also allows associates to bring their children once in a while on weekends. The idea is to feel more like a community, with multiple generations of people, and pets. That environment doesn't suit everyone, and it's great that there are choices. We like the family feel that the animals and children bring, and would be grieved if someone complained and got it all sanitized and pet/child free. For this reason, I would urge you to consider moving your loved one somewhere else, but first ask around if anyone else sees the filth you have described and if so get management to fix it asap.
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Ferris, no need to be draconian with the whole facility - if dogs are allowed into a room where food is being served, and if they poo and pee inside, that is the fault of the nurses and carers on site, they are being lazy or indifferent, but they are flouting hygiene rules. But people who find this should complain to the management about their staff, not complain to nameless faceless authorities about the whole facility. A good manager should bring the place to order immediately. A bad manager should be argued with. Pets are great, but in small doses, and the animals prefer the fresh air outside to the sometimes foetid and smelly air inside a facility.
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The state should take care of the dog situation, (after they are reported), but if you have other issues, I would work with the administrator and staff for those things. I'd really try to see if they could work towards a common goal regarding your mom's care.

The reason I say that is that most all facilities have some kind of issue. I don't know of any who are perfect. I'd made certain it was intolerable and incapable of improving before I moved her. I'd look around and see what other options there are.

After you have a loved one in Memory Care, when you visit new places, you'll have a better idea of the things to look for. Be curious and ask lots of questions. There are many factors to consider. Some places are well staffed and lively, but quite crowded. Other places aren't that fancy, but have good staff.
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