as my mother's Alzheimer's continues to worsen. They're sticking with the assisted living facility with maximum services. I convinced my father to hire a private healthcare aide to spend about three hours a day sitting in their apartment to give my father some respite time and time to do things he needs to do.
Compared to the cost of the assisted living apartment and the services they offer, it's a minor expense, really. But, someone needs to be there all the time, since Mom sometimes gets up and wanders off inside the facility with her walker. She also needs assistance in the bathroom. The staff at the assisted living comes quickly when called, but Mom doesn't remember how to call them.
So a room-sitter will let my father leave, which he needs to do on a regular basis for his own well-being.
So, we figured that out. I also met with their physician for a consultation. I filled him in on their daily issues and he gave me a detailed rundown of their health issues. My father is very hard of hearing. So, we agreed that the doctor would call me if my Dad doesn't seem to understand something and let me act as a relay point. He also gave me his private cell phone number so I can contact him with concerns that come up. Finally, he will check in on them whenever he visits a patient at that facility. The half-hour consultation was gratis on his part. He's a good guy and is concerned for their well-being. He said that they're the oldest couple he has ever worked with and likes them both.
So, we solved some issues, for the time being. I'm sure there will be more things come up and I'm figuring that I'll be flying out there on short notice from time to time. Oh, well...
= new reply since forum marked as read