Should Your Loved One Continue Living at Home?

Rebecca and her husband live 500 miles away from her 82-year-old mother, who is suffering from early signs of Alzheimer’s Disease and chronic arthritis. She worries about her safety, but upon questioning her mother, the answer is always the same: “Everything is fine. Stop worrying.”

Then one day, while at work, Rebecca received a phone call from a hospital social worker. Her mother fell down the stairs, broke her hip and was hospitalized. Rebecca’s mother insisted it could happen to anyone, and that she was perfectly safe at home and able to take care of herself.

It’s a common scenario, says Pamela Braun, MSW, LCSW, CPF, of Geriatric Assessment, Management & Solutions (www.gamsllc.samsbiz.com). When questioned about their situation and needs, an elderly person may mask the truth from family members says often the adult children find out what’s truly going on from a third party – such as the hospital or a neighbor.

Home represents familiar comforts, self-sufficiency and privacy. That’s why the prospect of moving out, into a relative’s home, or an assisted living facility, is one of the most difficult decisions a person must make in their lifetime. Often, rational decisions take a back seat to an emotional choice.

In situations like this, the difficult task of determining whether the elderly person can safely remain at home, must be addressed.  A care manager is a professional who specializes in assisting older people and their families with long-term care arrangements and can conduct a thorough assessment to determine if the elderly person is physically and mentally able to continue living safely at home.

Braun says letting the elderly person remain at home is the “least invasive intervention” and can be successful. “When people move out the home, it’s usually when Plan A – remaining at home – didn’t work. Try the least restrictive approach first.”

To determine if an elderly person can safely continue living at home, take a good look at the present housing situation, financial resources, health status and medical needs. Braun says some topics of the assessment should include:

• Medication
  Are medications expired? Are they spread out in different rooms, with no apparent structure or routine? 
• Meal preparation
  Can they cook for themselves? Are they able to safely operate appliances? Do they remember to turn appliances off when finished cooking?
• Safety
  Is the home equipped with grab bars, emergency response systems and other tools to ensure safety? Do they have a plan in place to contact help in case of an emergency?
• Personal hygiene
  Can they bathe themselves, groom adequately and launder clothes?
• Transportation
  Are they driving? Should they be driving? Do they have alternate means of transportation? 
• Socialization
  Are they isolated from others most of the time? Do they have friends? Are they going to church? Are they depressed? Are there signs of alcohol abuse?
• Home management
  Are they paying their bills on time? Are there stacks of papers and unpaid bills laying around? Is the house in general disarray? Is the house relatively clean?