Are you sure you want to exit? Your progress will be lost.
Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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I acknowledge and authorize
✔
I consent to the collection of my consumer health data.*
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I consent to the sharing of my consumer health data with qualified home care agencies.*
*If I am consenting on behalf of someone else, I have the proper authorization to do so. By clicking Get My Results, you agree to our Privacy Policy. You also consent to receive calls and texts, which may be autodialed, from us and our customer communities. Your consent is not a condition to using our service. Please visit our Terms of Use. for information about our privacy practices.
Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
Do your paperwork now and put all files in order. Appoint a power of attorney for both health and for financial care when you are unable to do this work yourself. Keep good records for the person who will do this for you, hopefully a family member. Be sure to discuss your wishes for end of life. For instance, do you want tube feedings if unable to eat. Put these instructions in your advanced Health directive. Discuss with your MD your wishes and have a POLST in your home forbidding EMT from doing CPR if you collapse at home. Get into a living situation that will provide for upgrading your care as you need it. Something like a village where you start in condo, go to apartment, go to assisted living and so on. Make certain your will and or trust is in order. Save all the money you can so it can be used toward your care, as money it will take should you need care. That's a beginning, but only that.
I'm assuming you are referring to yourself here? Are you elderly or have a medical reason for asking this question? In taking care of 4 seniors over the age of 85 what I've learned is that it is not enough to have a plan — you need to practice being realistic and execute your plan *before* you think you need to. Once people slide into cognitive issues, physical issues or dementia, it is often too late and their LOs are left trying to fight with seniors who don't think they're ready for the "intrusion" of in-home care, insisting they can "take care of" themselves. I've done that with 4 of them and its exhausting. Most impaired elderly have to have their drivers licenses wrestled away from them in angry confrontations that cause lots of familial stress. No one ever thinks that will be them.
Just the fact that you are planning for "home assistance, but not medical assistance and be somewhat independent" signals you may already have a romanticized notion of how your sunset years will play out. I'm planning for worst-case scenario and if that doesn't happen then hurrah. I've been on this site for a little while and the amount of venting about parents in denial and stubbornness is astounding. The best thing you can do for yourself and your LOs is to not have a set expectation and be thankful every day (count your blessings) for whatever you can find in your daily life to be grateful for.
That being said, I know there are many commenters who will shortly give wise advice and great suggestions about long term care insurance, legal docs, financial planning, etc. Regarding in-home care I have used Visiting Angels with great success as companions for 2 of my senior LOs. As for the cost of using them for medical will require some research but who knows how much things will cost 5 or 10+ years from now. One thing I do not recommend: thinking, hoping, expecting an adult child or sibling or cousin or neighbor to care for you. Read the comments under Caregiver Burnout. Bless you for having the wisdom and humility to plan!
Make a list of all the daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal household tasks. Your list will depend on where you live, as well as what sort of home you have, house, vs condo, owned vs rented.
Which of the tasks can you easily do and which would it be better to hire out? Love your flowers beds but hate mowing, hire someone to mow the lawn.
Now make a list of personal chores and tasks along the same lines. Do you dread laundry and changing the sheets? Hire help. Hate cooking, get Meals on Wheels. Love cooking but hate shopping, get groceries delivered.
Look into transportation services before you need them. Start using them before you have to give up your licence.
Downsize. You do not have to move, but start clearing out the clutter. Purge your closet of clothes you never wear.
If if you have things you want to leave to friends or family, give them away now.
Write yourself a letter to your future self. In it remind yourself that you may not recognize when it is time for more care but you will accept the word of your POA when they tell you they are worried and feel you need more support or a community to look after you.
Have all your paperwork prepared, Will, POA, etc. Keep your financial paperwork in order. Have a list of your user names and passwords available for your POA.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
Just the fact that you are planning for "home assistance, but not medical assistance and be somewhat independent" signals you may already have a romanticized notion of how your sunset years will play out. I'm planning for worst-case scenario and if that doesn't happen then hurrah. I've been on this site for a little while and the amount of venting about parents in denial and stubbornness is astounding. The best thing you can do for yourself and your LOs is to not have a set expectation and be thankful every day (count your blessings) for whatever you can find in your daily life to be grateful for.
That being said, I know there are many commenters who will shortly give wise advice and great suggestions about long term care insurance, legal docs, financial planning, etc. Regarding in-home care I have used Visiting Angels with great success as companions for 2 of my senior LOs. As for the cost of using them for medical will require some research but who knows how much things will cost 5 or 10+ years from now. One thing I do not recommend: thinking, hoping, expecting an adult child or sibling or cousin or neighbor to care for you. Read the comments under Caregiver Burnout. Bless you for having the wisdom and humility to plan!
Which of the tasks can you easily do and which would it be better to hire out? Love your flowers beds but hate mowing, hire someone to mow the lawn.
Now make a list of personal chores and tasks along the same lines. Do you dread laundry and changing the sheets? Hire help. Hate cooking, get Meals on Wheels. Love cooking but hate shopping, get groceries delivered.
Look into transportation services before you need them. Start using them before you have to give up your licence.
Downsize. You do not have to move, but start clearing out the clutter. Purge your closet of clothes you never wear.
If if you have things you want to leave to friends or family, give them away now.
Write yourself a letter to your future self. In it remind yourself that you may not recognize when it is time for more care but you will accept the word of your POA when they tell you they are worried and feel you need more support or a community to look after you.
Have all your paperwork prepared, Will, POA, etc. Keep your financial paperwork in order. Have a list of your user names and passwords available for your POA.