I think one alternative is to hire an outside service and discontinue the facility-based service. My mom has a visiting nurse who charges by the hour to take her to doctors' appointments, refill her meds boxes, etc.

I do think it's worth asking the question of what meds she's on and whether she really needs to be on all of them. I don't know whether she discussed her wishes before the Alzheimer's diagnosis, but there's the question of whether she would want the quantity of her life prolonged at the expense of its quality.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Mom isn't 90 - she is in her 70s. We recently had her assessed and she is still capable of independent living, but we are moving her into the main campus apartment building.

It just seems unbelievable that a facility that offers personal aides to administer meds, doesn't actually have any assurance in place that those aides will actually show up and administer the meds!

I agree with you, OP. Basic hygiene, safety, meds, eating - these are the things that are non-negotiable. How did you find out that these people missed the med delivery? I would be worried that this was the tip of the iceberg of poor organization, insufficient staffing, poor management, etc.

My mom is in assisted living. We pay an additional 1300 /Mon them to give her meds.she has minor her assistance needs. We had some serious medication mess ups that landed her in hospital. I raised hell but what worked (though slow) was informing the state agency that oversees assisted living. I also brought it up with the corporate office.
She is forgetful but with it enough to tell me if they don’t bring her meds. At some point if she declines a lot I will have to move her even closer to me, like 10 min away. My husbands mother is very close and he pops in most days and that has been a good thing.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Mom isn't 90 - she is in her 70s. We recently had her assessed and she is still capable of independent living, but we are moving her into the main campus apartment building.

It just seems unbelievable that a facility that offers personal aides to administer meds, doesn't actually have any assurance in place that those aides will actually show up and administer the meds!

What did the CCRC tell you about how they ensure that the aides are doing their jobs?

My mom's CCRC has all sorts of ways to check on how people are doing and when they need to move. I don't think they would let someone who can't reliably take their meds on their own to live on their own. Is there no space in the assisted living part? Is she on the waitlist to move?

OP here. Mom isn't 90 - she is in her 70s. We recently had her assessed and she is still capable of independent living, but we are moving her into the main campus apartment building.

It just seems unbelievable that a facility that offers personal aides to administer meds, doesn't actually have any assurance in place that those aides will actually show up and administer the meds!

My dad was in a CCRC and we went through a period where he was living on the independent side but we hired personal aides through the facility to help him with daily needs. Maybe we were lucky but the aides were amazing and incredibly reliable.

Demand better OP - your parent is paying for it! And begin making plans for the transition to memory care.

This is PP. Move your mom to be closer to you.

My Mom was in Memory Care. I can 100% guarantee she did not receive her meds most of the time. If there are any benzes (Ativan) assume they are getting stolen and not given. One of the "nurses" in a rage confirmed this. Her comment "at least I give her the meds, not like others".

This was in a $8000 a month facility.

You cannot not be there. If she is in memory care, you must have someone see her, show up and be there. Or hire someone that you trust and vett, to be there.

The eldercare scenario is going to break the system even more as more baby boomers retire.

Someone with Alzheimers who cannot remember to take medications is really not safe to be an in independent living facility. Her needs are greater than what that type of place is.

We tried to warn you but you would not listen.

Obviously your mother should get her meds but she is 90 with Alzheimer’s. Is there a drug that you are concerned she hasn’t getting?

The only drug my mother with dementia is in that I am concerned when she doesn’t take it is an antidepressant. If she doesn’t take a baby aspirin, cholesterol lowering medication, vitamins, etc. It doesn’t really matter. She has 86 and has moderate dementia. It has been such a long 6 years ti get to this point I really don’t care anymore. I realize you have to pick and choose your battles

My mom is in independent living right now. She has Alzheimer’s and due to my sister moving we had to hire home health services provided by the facility to give her medications daily.

They started two weeks ago and have already missed three days - two were over a weekend because someone had off and the sub had a family emergency and couldn’t get to the facility. Then they missed again when the person who was supposed to do it had a half-day meeting and didn’t make it.

Is it me or does this seem shocking? I cannot believe that she is the only one using this service at the entire facility. I live 90 min away, so I can’t just run up and give it to her myself.