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My mom (92) lives in an independent living facility in Bakersfield, Ca. She has early onset dementia but is quite independent. She is very ambulatory, showers and dresses on her own, goes to meals and activities and is very social, she takes no medications but because she has a diagnosis of dementia in California they will not allow her to move into Independent living and says she must go to Memory Care. That is not where she belongs and is there anything we can do.

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92 with early-onset dementia? Do you mean early stage dementia? Early-onset dementia happens before age 70. If she is still able to reason well enough? IL is able to say that she cannot live there if they think she may be a danger to herself or others. People who live alone with dementia often require more help and a more watchful eye than they receive in IL. I don't think that she can be required to go to memory care, but they can make the decision that their IL is too risky for her or residents around her.
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I wanted to double check - I went to a California government website that listed ALL the rules and regs licensed AL facilities must adhere to. In regards to dementia, there is several pages dedicated to the staff training, physical and architectural safeguards, care of the person - on and on. These are things ALS must comply to if housing a resident with an actual diagnosis of dementia - not just Mild Cognitive Impairment. So - absolutely - an AL in California can take dementia patients. They just may not want to, due to all the extra rules and regs that must be followed.
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Iseshirley, we must remember that this is usually our first rodeo with a parent, but it not the facility first rodeo. The Staff is trained to spot things that we wouldn't even notice, or if we did, we would contribute to getting older.

Where my Dad was living he was in Independent Living and eventually he needed to move over to Assisted Living... now within Assisted Living is a Memory Care floor which is no different than regular Assisted Living except the Staff is trained in how to relate to those residents that have Alzheimer's or Dementia. Dad loved the extra attention he was getting in Memory Care, and that it was cheaper than his Independent Living where he was paying for extra levels of care.

I know I was baffled when the facility called me in saying it was time to move Dad to Memory Care. Any time I had visited Dad apparently he was "showboating" thus I didn't think he needed Memory Care. When I wasn't there, well out would come the dementia. Even his private caregiver had mentioned to me that my Dad was getting more forgetful. I guess we want to think our parent isn't having these problems :(
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Les, don't know about California, but in Connecticut, some ALs will not accept patients with a dx of dementia. It's not the law: it's their decision, at least that is how it was explained to us.

My mom was in a rehab that we chose in part because it had an AL attached. Mom' s vascular dementia, a result of her stroke became obvious and they declined to admit her to their AL. There were other ALs that were happy to evaluate her and accept her as a client.
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Iseshirley - someone is giving you false information. I'd be will to be at least 50% of the people living in AL in California have sime level of dementia. Memory Care is for the more advanced or extreme cases where "behaviors" are demonstrated.
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There is a form to be filled out by the doctor, even if they check all the spots that say she is independent if the check the dementia box the will not take her in an assisted living, I want to find out if there is anyway they can make exceptions
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In order to accept or retain residents diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, Assisted Living communities must meet additional regulatory requirements (Section 87705 California code)
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Independent living facilities are apartments or complexes not licensed by the state. Assisted Living centers are licensed and regulated by California code.
I would say read her apartment lease. It should list the grounds for asking someone to leave.
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I don't think that is correct
I'm in SoCal and one ALF said they would keep a resident in assisted living as long as possible before moving upstairs to memory care

She may not be eligible for IL any longer but certainly look into assisted living before memory care
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What law is that?
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