You may not be able to keep it in the room, check your contract. It may be possible to have the dr order it for you and it will be kept in another area. That's what we did for my great aunt when she was in nursing home. She loved to have a beer every once in a while!
"What is the potential trouble? If it is death, it is ok to die."
Really? You have to ask? Well, let's see: Falling. All kinds of accidents. Injuries. Nuisance to others. Fights, verbal and/or physical. Noise. Bad outcomes when mixed with medications. Overdoses. Addiction. Neglect of health. Neglect of family and others. Mental deterioration. Negative physical issues. Fire risks. Damage to property. Bizarre behaviors. Lying. Making up stories. Carrying on like an idiot. Hard to control. And on and on and on. It's really bad stuff.
This is a question for the facility /administrator (not us on this forum per se). Read your contract. Facility administrator / staff will be concerned with falling and liability issues. Ask them what their liability is due to a resident falling while intoxicated. Alcohol will, of course, affect your balance and balance is often a concern for older people.
jondobbs: You should pose your question to your ALF since every facility may be different. A friend who routinely consumed a glass of wine was allowed to have her drink in her Massachusetts ALF.
Assisted Living is very different from Memory Care. Many assisted living facilities have "happy hours." My FIL's Assisted Living served him a glass of wine in his suite every evening. When he had to change levels of care and move to Memory Care in the same facility, alcohol was not permitted. Memory care patients forget basic life skills like standing from a seated position. Impairment coupled with memory loss is problematic. My husband's facility does not allow alcohol consumption in either the Assisted Living or the Memory Care units. The OP needs to talk with his facility regarding its alcohol consumption policy.
What’s the purpose of its use? I’ve known some people who would have a bit of wine at bedtime instead of a sleep aid. I’ve also known others who’d get roaring drunk every night and had no idea that’s what they were doing and couldn’t remember it the next day.
Needless to say, other residents aren’t happy about living near roaring drunks.
You’ll get all kinds of answers here, but the only way to get the real answer is check with your ALF.
I suspect you are looking here for the answer “you want”. But to show your ALF this forum and say “but these guys said I could” won’t do you much good.
I love your question! If it is safe for use to have alcohol, I hope you will find an ALF that permits it. It's supposed to be an Assisted LIVING Facility, not prison.
I wouldn't bring alcohol into an assisted living facility. It doesn't mix at all. I'm all for personal freedoms but alcohol is one of those things that's a high risk for potential trouble in so many ways.
Lisa, I love that you are branching out to responding more to other OPs. Good on you!
While I agree that alcohol in ALF CAN be a problem (esp given how it effects some with balance issues, etc), the fact is that many ALF allow it, and my brother's even had a "happy hour" in which white and red wine were served at least once weekly. Several fellows in his cottage would share having a beer before dinner and one elder woman at his table was actually prescribed an oz. of bourbon before meals. Go figure.
I think your point is a good one. I don't know of many benefits, unless it be to appetite. But I think it is something, with good supervision that is/can be done in SOME ALFs, and that is up to them.
I agree with JoAnn that you need to check with your own facility. ALF and MC are often privately owned and managed and they are not regulated as strictly as nursing homes which have hard and fast state guidance and rules.
Your own facility will be able to guide you. I do know that there was no problem with this for my brother's California ALF, but that won't be relevant to your situation. Just ask administration to check for you.
I think it probably depends on the facility. That should have all been explained when you moved in, so just ask them. A lot of assisted living facilities actually have a happy hour every day where the residents can go have a drink and socialize. That is different however than keeping alcohol in your room.
Really? You have to ask? Well, let's see: Falling. All kinds of accidents. Injuries. Nuisance to others. Fights, verbal and/or physical. Noise. Bad outcomes when mixed with medications. Overdoses. Addiction. Neglect of health. Neglect of family and others. Mental deterioration. Negative physical issues. Fire risks. Damage to property. Bizarre behaviors. Lying. Making up stories. Carrying on like an idiot. Hard to control. And on and on and on. It's really bad stuff.
Read your contract.
Facility administrator / staff will be concerned with falling and liability issues. Ask them what their liability is due to a resident falling while intoxicated.
Alcohol will, of course, affect your balance and balance is often a concern for older people.
Gena / Touch
Contact the facilities that you are interested and ask them if they have restrictions regarding drinking alcohol in the privacy of your room.
Needless to say, other residents aren’t happy about living near roaring drunks.
Each home operates differently. Ask the administrator.
You’ll get all kinds of answers here, but the only way to get the real answer is check with your ALF.
I suspect you are looking here for the answer “you want”. But to show your ALF this forum and say “but these guys said I could” won’t do you much good.
While I agree that alcohol in ALF CAN be a problem (esp given how it effects some with balance issues, etc), the fact is that many ALF allow it, and my brother's even had a "happy hour" in which white and red wine were served at least once weekly. Several fellows in his cottage would share having a beer before dinner and one elder woman at his table was actually prescribed an oz. of bourbon before meals. Go figure.
I think your point is a good one. I don't know of many benefits, unless it be to appetite. But I think it is something, with good supervision that is/can be done in SOME ALFs, and that is up to them.
Your own facility will be able to guide you. I do know that there was no problem with this for my brother's California ALF, but that won't be relevant to your situation. Just ask administration to check for you.
A lot of assisted living facilities actually have a happy hour every day where the residents can go have a drink and socialize. That is different however than keeping alcohol in your room.