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My mother is assisted living which apparently has no assistive devices for residents who are hard of hearing. She has hearing aids, but they tell me she can't hear the fire alarm, I find this hard to believe. Anyway I have a bedshaker on her bed, a flasher that goes off when the fire alarm goes off. What other types of thing can I get that can help in this situation?


Otherwise, she can't remain at the assisted living facility. And I cannot take her in and she cannot afford a nursing home, nor does she need to be in one. So any devices that people know of that could help would be greatly appreciated.

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This sounds more like an Independent Living place that offers a la cart services rather than a true Assisted Living facility, unfortunately the business model for both of them seems to be to promise more than they can really deliver just to get people in the door. In my opinion a true AL should be able to accommodate those who need assistance but are not quite in need of the skilled nursing services available at a Nursing Home
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I think cwillie has the right idea. I don't think that your mom is in the right assisted living facility if they will not provide for mom's basic safety. Where is the assistance?! I think I would check into other assisted living facilities and compare services.
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Logan, did the facility not know about mom's hearing loss when they accepted her?

I think I might call the State Ombudsman to find out about state regs regarding this issue.

Has mom settled In? Last time you wrote she'd just been diagnosed with a UTI.
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Logan, my Dad lived in Assisted Living, and good grief when that fire alarm bell would go off in his room, I am surprised there aren't any heart attacks. There is also a built-in bright flashing light. Dad knew what to do. Got his walker, his wallet, and out the apartment door he went, he was hoping to see fire trucks and other emergency equipment. He was disappointed when it was only a drill.

Now, the Aides would run to the other rooms to get residents who were either hard of hearing or needed help walking. I am really surprised your Mom's Assisted Living doesn't take that into consideration since so many elders are now hard of hearing.

I really think this should be the facility's issue, not your mother's.
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I would review the contract to see if it addresses this issue, although I suspect if there is a provision, it's a general one in terms of providing safety and security.

You could contact various other ALs on the pretext of interviewing them for a potential placement, and ask them how they handle this issue.

You could also contact the local fire department and ask if they have any suggestions, since this could be a safety issue.

I'm glad you raised this issue; although I'm not looking for an AL facility now, I keep lists of things to check out and this would be one.

Could your mother get out when the flasher activates, and in the event of a real fire?
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Logan, I've often wondered how much support AL facilities really give their residents, but have gradually realized that some either provide a la carte services, with each services priced and billed, or they rely on in house private duty agencies. FF has experience with this; she had private duty staff caring for her father in AL.
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GardenArtist, that is an interesting solution. The only service I am paying for now for help with showering. Other than that I manage her pill case, she just has to take them everyday which she does do.

I just don't know how to solve for the hearing situation. I may try to contact the fire department as you recommended or a hearing loss association as she just can't be the only one with this issue in the entire state.
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Glad to see you researched and found the resources you need to keep your mom safe. Win-Win for all involved.
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I would think that under the Americans with Disabilities Act that the home would be required to provide a flashing fire alarm for people renting a room there. Hmm. Maybe call the ombudsman anyway.
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Thank you Shane.

Surprise, they have alarms, and offered to put a flasher. The problem is if she falls asleep in her recliner or when she goes to bed she wasn't responding to the alarm so that is why I needed to the get system. There are F1 and F2 ALF the requirements are:
In the event of a fire, people living in F1 residences are able to remain in
their room and wait for rescue, while people living in an F2 building must be able
to leave the building within a specified time. People who live in a F2 building have
to be more mobile.

Which I didn't know and wasn't told when I picked the facility. But now she is able to stay there which makes things easier since she just moved there in May and is finally used to it and has made some friends.
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