What if you’re in assisted living+ and you land up with no family/friends …

[Anonymous]

Often there is a person on-file as POA or even just an emergency contact/decision-maker, in case the person becomes ill or loses cognitive capacity. It does not have to be a family member. In the absence of one, there can be a court-appointed guardian. Many nursing homes and assisted livings have doctors they work with that do on-site visits. The facilities manage things for patients who have nobody to assist. It’s not ideal, but they do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dad was in an assisted living facility. He paid out of pocket. The facility had an in-house medical team. He would never have had to leave. When he ended up in the hospital, they worked with the hospital social worker to arrange transportation home. I was involved it it all, but it would have been pretty seamless if I hadn't been. I imagine that if he was on his own, they would probably get him to sign some sort of power of attorney before moving in.

It varies. My mom was in an assisted living facility with multiple hospitalizations and stays in rehab before she eventually transferred to a nursing home and hospice care. None of these transfers were anything close to “seamless”. My mom, too, paid out of pocket, and I was very much available, and I can’t imagine what her last years would have been like if I had not been available to do what was essentially case management— on top of spending time being her daughter.

I won’t have that, so I try not to think about it too much.

What tasks in particular were you managing? Just wondering what the process was.

[Anonymous]

I imagine the transitions to a different level of care are less seamless. But if a person is able to live out their days in the same AL or nursing home, it’s likely easier.

[Anonymous]

Currently, the facility does transport to med appts and other errands. The facility also provides assessments and can move the patient to different levels of care.
If Medicaid or Medicare changed, this may end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I imagine the transitions to a different level of care are less seamless. But if a person is able to live out their days in the same AL or nursing home, it’s likely easier.

You can’t die in AL, in most circumstances. But they will move you to a nursing home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you start with family/friends but they die or become disabled themselves afterward. Who takes you to appointments? Who moves you to memory care etc? As time moves on, more people will be left alone as they get older. People have few to no children. Maybe you outlive your children. I know several older childless people (some are only children themselves) who look out for each other. At some point, they won’t be able to do much for each other.

What happens in these cases?

AI powered robotic personal assistants/nurses will soon take over elder care, childcare, home care, lawn care. I see a lot of scope for intensive work in our world that needs to be done but we don't have any takers to do it with a low pay. For example, cleaning litter, pollution, invasive weeds, sanitizing stuff etc.

I don’t think a personal assistant could raid over child care, but I’d love it if one could take over elder care! Although the cost is prohibitive and it would need frequent upgrades

[Anonymous]

Nothing. Old frail people really don’t need to go to appointments. I don’t understand how we keep people alive in miserable lives for zero reason.