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  Housing Options for Mom

 

Introduction

Often when an elderly person considers changing their housing situation, they are at a loss as to available options to meet their needs. Most, when asked, want to remain in their home. Yet for many this clearly is not an option. Perhaps, if some elderly understood the many options, they might be more inclined to live in an environment that meets their needs. Many expect to move in with their children but for many reasons this is not always a good option. For example if relationships were strained when one was younger it won't suddenly mend itself when you move your parent in with you (continuity theory) nor will your parent or you and your family be suddenly willing to give up your privacy. There are many other issues.

Assignment

Your mother who is now widowed, in her middle-old years, and needing a "simpler lifestyle". She has told you she does not want to live with her children and although she has not told you so,  you suspect that the upkeep of the old home and meeting her ADL's is too much for her. You need to investigate housing options for older adults and find one that will suit your mother. She needs details, location, amenities, cost, activities, transportation etc.

Using class materials locate an option. Don't point her to the information-- tell her what you have found.

Consider which belongings she might be able to keep under your plan and which she might need to give up. Go though your mother's home with her room by room and look at her belongings. First go to the kitchen. What will she want to take with her, next go to the bedroom and look in her closet, the furniture and her other belongings. What will she take? What will she need to leave behind?

Now go to the garage and look at the Christmas decorations, camping gear, garden equipment, golf clubs or what ever else is there and decide what she can bring with her under your plan.

Remember, in a residential care facility (RCFE) or other options she may have one private or semi-private room. In a  nursing home she will probably have one drawer and a closet to keep her personal belongings in . 

Now,  Go to the discussion board and compose an e-mail message to your mother.  You might copy and past the 5 points below into the email and answer between the points to make sure you have answered them all.

  1. Suggest a housing option for her and tell her why you think this option would be a good one (what are the issues you considered and what are the issues she might consider?).
    You might consider leaving her in the family home. If so, how will you meet her increasing needs for repairs, food prep, help at night, home safety, transportation and social stimulation (remember activity theory so many of you loved?) Have you researched these for potential problems and solutions?
     

  2. Why do you think this particular place might meet her needs?

    Be sure to include the services she might expect, which ADL's she might want help with now or in the future (if any),

  3. What she can take with her? What will happen the the remainder of her belongings?
     

  4. How she might pay for such a plan? Don't say your going to pay for it all or family will chip in. This usually is not a realistic option. Could you take $2,500 or more per month from your family budget this month, next month and forever for her care? Not many of us could not. And don't just say your parents are well off.  You will need to estimate their needs.

  5. How long could she live there? For example, in some RCFE (residential care facility for the elderly) a resident must maintain a level of ambulation in order to remain living there. Would mom have to move again if her health deteriorates under your plan?
     

  6. Class, think about what will happen when your mom is frail? She's going to need 24/7 care. How will you provide for that?  It's not realistic to say the family will do it. Most of us could not leave our jobs today to care for our failing mothers. You need a plan. What will it cost? The going rate today is around $25.00 per hour. Multiply that out and we are talking lots of money per month.  How will you pay for it ? Apartments and smaller homes are a step down. Remember the relocation patterns?  Plan care for her right to the end.

NOTE

I use to think my parents would never have to worry about money in their old age . My Dad worked for the Railroad and saved like many of our Dad's did. He always told us there was plenty. I thought they were richer than soil. Well, he died a few years ago, his pension was cut in half (which is common when the spouse dies) so my Mom had to live on half her regular income.

The next issue was how rapidly the savings were spent. They had around $500,000. in assets and savings. Sound like a lot of money except that after she paid their share of his care while he was dying, (Medicare deductibles and CO-payments,  a caregiver in the home, rehab that Medicare did not cover etc.) and the move from her large home she could not maintain to live closer to her children, left her with around $300.000. At $4,000 a month for Eskaton 's independent living (that's around $50k a year which is not unusual) you can see she will blow through the remaining assets in around 7years.

Resources

Lecture and  text

You can start on the web here. This resource will give you abstracts that can help you learn the issues. http://scholar.google.com/

 

Senior Care- Housing http://www.seniorcarehousing.com/

HOME http://www.housing-options.com/options.htm

Administration on Aging    http://www.aoa.gov/eldfam/Housing/Housing.asp

Use a search engine and key words "housing options and elderly"

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