Home Repairs Merit Move Out?

[Anonymous]

Help!y My elderly mom lives alone in my huge, older multilevel childhood home. Stepdad died about 10 years ago.

Called out an exterminator after finding mouse droppings under her kitchen sink and in her garage. Long story short, exterminator discovered infestation in all levels of her house and in attic insulation and furniture. At advice of another sibling, getting a second estimate from another exterminator and obviously will take immediate steps to remediate.

Mom not yet made fully aware of how extensive and potentially unhealthy and disruptive this is about to become.

Should this or could this remediation be enough to suggest that she move (“temporarily”) to an elder care community she has expressed interest in and placed a deposit? I haven’t even begun to research health risks involved. She is a heart patient and sees her cardiologist regularly.

She generally enjoys houseguests and visitors but to have exterminators traipsing through and see her house as a work zone will agitate her.

Compassionate and kind responses would be helpful. Trying to figure this all out from a few hundred miles away.

[Anonymous]

Yes, if she has already placed a deposit with an elder care community now is the time to bring up that subject. I would call the facility, tell them the situation, and ask for some guidance or assistance from their placement person.

If you are currently a few hundred miles away, you may want to take a few days to facilitate a visit to the facility and/or help her make the move.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I am coordinating care with a local relative. Conference calling my sibling tonight to suggest we enact the senior living option.

[Anonymous]

If you’re not local, go easy on the local person. It’s easy to feel like there’s a solution from far away.

[Anonymous]

I’d get another look and make sure she is not being scammed.