I had the pleasure of interviewing two wonderful people (with years of knowledge) on my radio show who talked about their experiences with assisted living, in-home care, and dementia. SF Gate picked up on it.
Read and listen more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/05/30/prweb9556050.DTL#ixzz1wVLPrrXU
There comes a time for a number of us when we feel we are not able to go up and down stairs safely, with no falling. A lot of need to stay within their properties and not move to an additional location. So, a solution may well need to have to become created on purchasing and installing a stairlift inside their home. Even so, some may well not know the way in which to buy and have installed, a stair lift. You will discover a couple of tips and facts that could support make obtaining a stairlift simple and quick. A stair lift make moving with floor to floor effortless and safe. Additionally, a stair lift can aid people who enjoy their house, remain in it, more time.
One of the very first points to think about when thinking of stairlifts is definitely who you will get them from. It is really important using this type of invest in to speak about it to an individual reliable; a single who can give you information and facts on the installation, the price and the security attributes of this product. Then it is really important to discover out where this item might be put. Problems to ask are: will it be a straight run, will the stairlift have a curved travel? Or, is actually the tracking curved?
One more consideration of the type of mobility selection is actually will this choice have a seat or will it be a standing lift? Also one other kind of mobility item is actually one particular that features a huge platform; major sufficient for a wheelchair. The seated solution is a single that is definitely chosen the many. When you produce this particular option, it really is crucial to help keep in mind that whoever is definitely sitting on the seat, must be in a position to sit perfectly. Make confident that the seat is definitely a swivel seat and has armrests as this specific will assist customers get on and off an incredible deal much easier and safer. Stair lift add a fantastic feature countless will like and appreciate.
Then, in terms of the seating position, you’ve a decision of fold-down seats, fixed seats, perching seats and seats that slide forward to assist receiving in and out. It really is also crucial for the regular seat be the appropriate size for the individual utilizing it. If the seat is actually for a child, you will probably want to look at a harness, especially if the kid is actually disabled. One other point to think about is actually what direction will the user want? Several seats face sideways; on the other hand, if an individual has arthritis, they could need to face forward as this specific will present far more room to navigate.
Installation designs should also bed discussed. You desire the design of this mobility choice to be conducive to your own way of living and moving in your property. Moreover, how this kind of item will likely be powered and controlled should also be discussed. There are actually various different kinds of controls including the joystick, toggle controls or the push button controls. There are actually also remote controls that a caregiver can give. It is crucial to note also that lifts are available using a signal which can be heard for those who’re blind or partially blind. Such a signal will tell a person when the stair lift is in the bottom or prime of the track. It really is also really important to note that straight lifts possess a battery backup offered in case of a power failure.
It is beneficial to understand that many firms that generate this particular kind of stair lift guarantee them for a single year. Once the guarantee is actually up, many recommend an inspection nearly every six months and to have them serviced nearly every year. If this sort of mobility choice can not be accomplished, you’ll find additional alternatives such as remodeling a dwelling and placing a bedroom on the primary floor, moving to a a single level residence for example a one particular level condo or remodeling a bathroom and bedroom to make sure safety as ease of mobility.
The National Association of Senior Move Managers announced that May 13-19, 2012 in Senior Move Managers Week. Many don’t quite understand what a Senior Move Manager is, but this is a profession that is growing throughout the country. I had the pleasure of interviewing Donna von Edelkrantz on my radio show. Donna is a Senior Move Manager in Northern California and explains to us the benefits of working with this type of specialist. Just go to The Aging Boomers to listen!
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,“ about 70 percent of individuals over age 65 will require at least some type of long-term care services during their lifetime.” Some are calling it the “silver tsunami.”
Though it is quite clear that the elderly would like to live at home for the rest of their lives, what if an older adult cannot live safely at home? There are numerous reasons including the following:
• Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia which is becoming too difficult on the family to provide care.
• Family dynamics including those living long distances from one another.
• There is no family to take care of the senior.
• High cost of outside caregivers when assistance is needed regularly.
Does this mean nursing home? Absolutely not. There are some great options which are like a home away from home.
With over 40,000 licensed assisted living locations in the United States and only 15,000 skilled nursing facilities, the movement is toward long-term living at various types of assisted living locations. These can range from smaller 5-person residential care homes to larger assisted living communities. Today, skilled nursing facilities are placing greater emphasis on short-term stays versus long-term stays. Short-term rehabilitation has become a necessity for skilled nursing facilities, bringing in additional revenue and higher margins.
Because of this shift in long-term care living, companies of all types and sizes are starting up to capture a segment of this growing population. One type of company is known as a placement or referral agency. This segment of our industry has the ability of providing tremendous value to families whose loved ones need a different place to live and be cared for. It is unfortunate that many of these services are treating families like commodities instead of human beings who are under a tremendous amount of stress. Following are various types of services and details of each:
1. Senior Placement Service – Many have an online presence where information can be learned about the senior, but these services generally have local
representation that are trained and experienced to assist with various aspects of the placement process. Commissions are paid to these services (similar to the real estate model), so families will not have to pay additional costs. These companies usually represent most of the locations (care facilities) in the area. Services may include assessing the needs of the family’s loved one, meeting “face to face” with the family, providing background information on locations including any state reports noting citations or deficiencies, touring with families, having familiarity with each location, helping negotiate the best rates and assisting with any medical information from physicians and other resources to help with a smooth transition. The key benefit of this service is having a non-biased professional who assists the family through a process that can be a daunting task filled with stress.
2. Senior Referral Service – As the name describes, a “referral” is when someone is directed to a source for help or information. These are mainly online companies that ask a few questions online and send information directly to the assisted living facilities for them to make contact directly with the family. The challenge is that the “referral” is sent to several locations that will contact the family representative by phone, adding additional stress to the situation. Some companies have a “telemarketer” contacting the family by phone but have not visited the locations nor are familiar with any citations that may have been issued by the state on the locations.
3. Lead Generators – These are online companies that perform similar functions as “referral” services, but instead of getting paid a commission from the
location, they are paid on a “per lead” basis. These types of companies are very common in other industries including insurance, real estate, etc. They are online lead generators and are not knowledgeable on senior care or assisting living. Finding the right type of care facility is not like finding a hotel room online just by asking a few questions. Below is a list of important points to take into consideration:
• Mix of residents – If the senior does not have dementia and are referred to locations where the residents are not alert can be uncomfortable for the loved one being placed. If the loved one being placed does have dementia, it is imperative that the caregivers are well trained in this area and have other residents at a similar stage.
• Visitation – Photos can be nice online, but being familiar with a location, the neighborhood, background, furnishings, cleanliness and know if the residents are happy.
• Family testimonials – It’s always good to know if there are families that have had a positive experience with their loved one at this location.
• Local contacts – In most cases families need additional assistance and may need advice from professionals like attorneys, move managers, dementia consultants, doctors and other specialists.
Helping to reduce family stress and not add to it during this decision making process is essential as the need continues to rise for advice on assisting living
options.