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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.
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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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Her 58 yr old son lives with her, he doesnt work lays in bed all day and is very dirty. They had bed bugs twice.she has always enabled him. What am I to do?
This where your cell phone or digital camera comes in handy. You take pictures of the filth, the poop, the bugs and you send them to APS with a written, signed and witnessed complaint. Just a phone call won't get it done; they cannot ignore the hard evidence.
Along with what quiltinrealtor said, my mother only had a tub and could no longer climb into it and get out of it so she stopped bathing and started giving herself a sponge bath. I have read in this forum that some people do a good job with their personal sponge baths. Unfortunately, my mother's sponge bath wasn't good-enough and her sense of smell is gone. So, she didn't realize how badly she smelled.
She has now moved in with me. Right now, is using our spare shower that has just a couple inch stepover. But she was out of the habit of bathing and didn't really want to, at first. I took her aside and tried to privately and nicely tell her she kind of stunk.
It's early days, so I will have to see if she remains cooperative, but I am trying to get her into a "clean routine" where I might have her write her bath/shower days on her calendar to remind her (as her memory is failing).
But I also got her doctor to give her a prescription for a chair lift to the tub. She and I are going to go to the medical supply store and see what they have and whether we feel it will work for her, as well as probably adding grab bars to the tub.
From your posting, I don't want to assume that she wouldn't cooperate if you took the same tactics that I have, but I realize it's possible that she's not going to comply, either. I'm just giving my own story in case it's helpful, but if your situation is different, don't beat yourself up too much about it. You can only do what you can do.
I had to call about my dad...2 yrs no shower..sleeping in feces...cty told me that as long as he can feed himself and put a roof over his head...i was to BUTT out...Adult Protective Services....Ulster County NY
Try calling an agency like Angel Care. Usually Medicare pays the bill and they will come and assess the needs. When a stranger comes in to help them with a bath it is less condescending than a relative. Our mom decided she wanted her own place so we took her to several assisted living places and she chose her own "apartment". The rules at the ALH is for them to bathe so she has someone help her every saturday. It had been 2 years when she was living with us and she had only had 2 baths at first then rinsed off with water every once in awhile. She almost looks forward to Saturday showers now. Hope this helps
Are you an older or younger sister? If they have no mental diagnoses, then if they do not want to bathe, that is their right. Being dirty only poses a health risk if animals have infested their house, and/or neighbors. You could call the health department and you need proof. I would rather see a social worker from the area on aging go over to access the living situation. Your brother's behavior appears to be a case of clinical depression. One should not be spending that many hours in bed, all day. An intervention is definitely in order.
My father had not really cleaned himself for years, and he smelled, but we couldn't do anything till he broke his hip. After his discharge from rehab, an occupational therapist (paid by Medicare) visited several times. Dad was initially resistant to bathing with her, but she knew how to cajole him and he acquiesced, certainly because she was a stranger rather than a family member. Still, we had a major fight getting him to bathe when she wasn't here to help him with it. What eventually worked was a compromise. I've found old folks are like children in that the same tricks work. It's not "Let's change into a clean shirt today" but "Whch shirt do you want to wear, the red shirt or the blue shirt?" Regarding bathing, it was a negotiation: "You need to bathe every day." "I don't think that's necessary. I don't want to." "Well, then, every other day." And so on till we reached the compromise position (acceptable to the OT, who could see how far to take a battle) of once a week. That is now a habit, and so so much better than the previous state of affairs. Of course, Dad has a son and daughter who WANT him to bathe, so our situation is much easier than what Kate53 is going through. Good luck, Kate. I hope this answer might help you at least a little!
She may be afraid of falling, especially if she has fallen in the past. The best thing to do is to go over to her house and help her take a shower. Make sure she has grab bars and a shower seat. My mom is 90 and I've been doing this for about 6 years. Now I have to do the same for my friend who is 80 and afraid to do it. She has an aide at the moment but they sit in the living room and she is afraid of falling so I am going to take over. The aide writes that she refuses to take a shower. She is not refusing, she wants them to help her. It might just be to steady her while she steps over the curb!
I give my dad a back rub while washing his back. He holds the hand held shower nozzle. I wash his hair and shave him. I then cue him to wash his face, chest, privates, legs. At the end, I help him up and wash his poopy butt. We have a routine that takes forever, but he gets his shower. He gets tired after, so now I help him dress. He lays down while I use lotion on his legs, get his compression socks on, put protective lotion (Weleda diaper rash cream) on his butt(butter his buns~) and penis. We get the diaper, shirts on and he so far can manage the pants and shoes. He likes the back and neck rub, me combing his hair. I send him off to the living room and TV where a hot coco waits, shower then fix dinner. The implication that there is no dinner till this is over has helped. I tell him the timeline of events before we get started, so he does not feel surprised. Also the doctor writes that he needs a bath/shower 2x a week and gives him the visit summary. We have a bath chair, and that helps. It is always harder to get him into the shower than out. He forgets that he likes it.
That must be painful to watch and not be able to do anything. But you didn't create the situation and you can't fix it. Maybe something could be done if your mother qualifies to be declared incompetent. You would need medical and legal intervention for that. Meanwhile, save your own sanity. God bless.
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.
She has now moved in with me. Right now, is using our spare shower that has just a couple inch stepover. But she was out of the habit of bathing and didn't really want to, at first. I took her aside and tried to privately and nicely tell her she kind of stunk.
It's early days, so I will have to see if she remains cooperative, but I am trying to get her into a "clean routine" where I might have her write her bath/shower days on her calendar to remind her (as her memory is failing).
But I also got her doctor to give her a prescription for a chair lift to the tub. She and I are going to go to the medical supply store and see what they have and whether we feel it will work for her, as well as probably adding grab bars to the tub.
From your posting, I don't want to assume that she wouldn't cooperate if you took the same tactics that I have, but I realize it's possible that she's not going to comply, either. I'm just giving my own story in case it's helpful, but if your situation is different, don't beat yourself up too much about it. You can only do what you can do.
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