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Mollaroo6 Asked September 2020

How can I avoid increased monthly care charge of $2000?

The director said Mom has additional needs and needs to be moved to a higher level of service. I suspect they want more money from her because she is obnoxious, opinionated, and loud ( deaf, won't use hearing aids because "they don't work"). What can I do?

freqflyer Sep 2020
Mollaroof, as others had asked, find out what in involved with the extra charges. The complex should be able to give you a detailed list. Some Assisted Living complexes everything is included in the monthly rent.... for others, there is a lower rent price but options for special routine requests.

When my Dad lived in the Independent Living side of a complex there came a time when Dad was forgetting to take his meds. The complex had an option where a med-tech would come in with Dad's meds and make sure he had taken them. The cost was $1k a month which sounded like a huge bite out of Dad's wallet, but when I figured the per visit cost, it was reasonable.

JoAnn29 Sep 2020
My Moms care cost 2k 3 years ago. She needed help in all her ADLs. She was mobile with a walker.

I would question that much of an increase. I would want to compare what she was before to what they feel she needs now.

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sjplegacy Sep 2020
Unfortunately, that's something we all get hit with eventually in a care facility. My fee went up $1000/ mo because my wife needed a special wheelchair and an additional staff to help daily. The fee shouldn't go up because someone has a loud mouth. That doesn't take additional staff. Ask the director what warrants the increase.
Mollaroo6 Sep 2020
Thank You very much! Sandy
lealonnie1 Sep 2020
Nothing. If the facility is upping her charges for a higher level of care, then there's nothing you can do about it other than move her to a different place and they may do the same thing. Is the place she's at corporate owned? Because I've found the corporate owned places LOVE to find all sorts of reasons to raise the resident's care levels to get more $$$$. When my father was alive, the aide wheeled him into the dining room about 20 feet from his room ONCE and they billed me $250 per month additionally for 'escort service to and from the dining room'. They refused to remove the charge when I called, too, so I moved both of my folks out of there when the shenanigans got too ridiculous. Now, if your mother really DOES need more help, then it may be a justified charge that you'll just have to live with.

I don't think being obnoxious, loud, opinionated and deaf qualify a person for a rate increase, either, or else they'd ALL be paying up the wazoo!! LOL

Definitely ask the ED for a full accounting of the extra charges and why they feel those charges are justified, and go from there. If you don't get satisfaction, look for a privately owned and run place..........I've had great experience with one myself over the past 5+ years.

Good luck!
sjplegacy Sep 2020
I had to laugh! $250 a month for escort service is pretty cheap. They usually charge that for a single night!!!

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