Hi all,
I'm trying to figure out transportation options for my dad to take him from AL to basic appointments, so that I don't have to take so much time off work for these. There are no other friends/ family around who can/ would drive him (yup, I'm a solo/ lonely next of kin, no other local help from friends/ family). If I can get someone to drive/ take him to the simple things like routine dentist visit and cleaning, routine eye exam, annual audiologist/ hearing checkup etc., that would help. Of course, for any major significant doctor or specialist visit, I go myself because I want to be able to contribute questions, tell those what’s going on, and hear first-hand what they say. But I don't really need to go along to the dentist etc.
Of course, things will vary depending on the LO's ability and cognition. My dad walks (very slowly) with a walker, can mostly get in and out of a car by himself, very slowly without assistance but occasional assistance needed, but for sure someone needs to fold and store the walker in the car for him. Then cognition/ dementia is another factor.
Costs of the different options vary also. So here is how I see the pros and cons of the various options:
1) Free van from the AL. This is great when it works out. Have tried it once or twice so far. However, the hours are limited, you have to book a week ahead (and sometimes it’s not available at the time of your appointment), and while the driver can help you in and out of the van, he can’t go in with you.
2) City senior van service. We do have it in our town, but it can only take seniors within the city limits. Some of my dad's appointments are in other towns. Also I hear reliability is questionable, it is often late and then you may miss the appointment.
3) Uber/ Lyft. I hear that there is an "Uber assistance" level of service but haven’t tried that yet. Does anyone know? Supposedly different/ larger cars to handle people with walkers and wheelchairs, and maybe the drivers can help you a bit in and out of the car? My dad would not be able to order a ride himself on a smart phone (no way), so I would have to order it on my account, and then tell him the time of pickup, what the car looks like etc. It would be a hassle, and maybe hassle enough that I may as well just take him myself then....?
4) Agency provided caregivers. The Agency we have used for a couple of times a week extra help, says they can provide a caregiver and car to take my dad to appointments. This may be the most costly approach (they will bill at usual $36/hr), but probably the most reliable/ safest? They will pick him up, and even come into the AL, walk with him to the car, help him in, drive to the appt, go in with him to make sure he gets to the right clinic etc., wait with him, then bring him back. Since it won’t be that often for things like twice a year dentist, I'm thinking this may be worth it?
Thoughts from others? Other options that I haven’t thought of?
We limited the appts outside the facility to what could not be taken care of by providers who came to the facility.
For example, we used the in house primary doctor, the podiatrist, audiologist, etc.
Outside facility was only a couple of times a year to cardiologist , hematologist . At first we used the facility free ride but mobility became too difficult. My husband used to meet his Dad at the appt . It also saved my husband time , not having to pick up and drop off his Dad . Instead of losing 3 hours of work those days , my husband only lost an hour or so .
A two hour doctor visit (including being picked up, taken to the appt, and the aide get him in there and sit with him, then bring him back to AL) is a reasonable price for not having to worry, for starters.
Would also make him feel like a VIP, which helps. Alternatives don't provide a Driver already experienced with dementia, or someone to wait with him there.
The total (and safer) package.
I'd first check to see if all these appointments are really necessary. Often seniors treat these as social outings rather than a needed appointment.
I would suggest finding a companion who is willing to drive and stay at appointments. They normally charge $15-20 per hour.
$36. an hour seems remarkably reasonable for an aide to drive him to routine appointments!
When my mom was in a NH, most of her medical needs were handled by the in-house doc and APRN, but the few times she needed to be seen outside (pulmonary followup, suspicious skin lesion) I hired non-emergency medical transport and an aide from the NH. They got her to and from the appointment and I met them there, limiting the time I needed to take off.
Do you have a Seniors helping Seniors franchise in your area? That is a private pay agency that I use for appointments like colonoscopies when I neeed someone to accompany because I will be under the influence.
Check out CareYaya. That is the least expensive of all of the private pay agencies. It is staffed by medical students and other healthcare students.
I take my mom to most of her appts for the same reasons as you. Although her AL has a van, I also found it hard to coordinate. I had a good caregiver for her, before AL, when she lived alone at home after dad died. Finally found a reliable lady thru the agency, who lived nearby and kept my mom company and could take her to appts. Once mom got into AL that lady also told me she’d be happy to go to the AL and do whatever we’d like her to do.
If you find a good caregiver thru the agency, that person can be just as conscientious and trustworthy as you.
In an ideal world assisted living should have options like this -
If done, then, my dad will say, “who is this person ? This is completely unnecessary “. Sigh .
Transportation, surprised the AL doesn't do more. You give them advanced notice that should be enough time to schedule him. Ask if it would be better if when you know of the appt, they place him on the schedule then. So 6 months ahead or maybe better if a month out instead of a week. We have a Senior bus I hear takes our residents out of town for appts. Red Cross may have drivers. Maybe a Church nearby has volunteers.
Many professionals make follow-up appointments as a matter of course, when they are not really necessary. Particularly if you choose 4), the most expensive option, minimise the problem if you can, for him, yourself, and the $.
I wondered about this.
My younger brother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and his doctor has recommended that he brings someone with him to his appointments. He lives in D. C.
He forgets what his doctor said to him. He didn’t get a prescription filled and so on.
Of course, he shouldn’t be driving anymore. He was getting lost. He really shouldn’t travel alone anymore either. He got lost in the airport too.
So, I can understand why your county driving service would not want to be responsible for transportation.
So you can call an Uber BUT don't discount dad's cognitive decline. That adds stress to any outing and a level of confusion you can't fathom. When mom was in the ER for the umpteenth time and it got to be 10:30pm, I wanted to go home bc I was burned down to a crisp. She was discharged and waiting for the non emergent ambulance drivers to come take her back to AL as they'd done 20x before. I told her goodbye and explained the drivers would be by shortly. How would she pay them? Where was her purse? How would they know where she lived? How much should she tip them? Omg how would she get home alone? And on and ON it went. It reaches a point where an elder with dementia simply cannot function, period.
I would pick option #4 myself, in your case, so you'd feel comfortable knowing dad wouldn't be freaking out. My motto with all this elder care is, "In for a penny, in for a pound." The costs are SO ridiculous, what's another few hundred?
I had a neighbor who was looking for extra income at one point. She used to drive an elderly woman to the grocery and doctor appointments.
Maybe you can find someone to do these things for you. My neighbor charged a reasonable price for her service. She enjoyed it and the lady who hired her was very appreciative.