Samantha didn’t know she had Alzheimer’s Disease and neither did her family. They all thought something was off; something was wrong, but they couldn’t place their finger on it. She had had plenty of doctors’ appointments and checkups, but nothing in her medical history, blood tests, or physical exams showed any signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s. It was only when the doctor applied a mental status test that the symptoms became clear.
After a more thorough neurological exams and brain imaging, Samantha was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. A wave of emotions and fears overcame the family: sorrow, frustration, anxiety, hopelessness…
The doctor knew they needed time to process this, but when they were ready, she brought up the options. The silver lining was that the dementia hadn’t progressed too far. With help, Samantha could continue to live a productive life, but it would require 24-hour help. Of course, this meant alternative housing; Samantha would need to move into a senior housing community, one that specialized in her needs.
Again the wave of emotions poured over the family. Their frustration was palpable.
“Where do we start?”
So the doctor sent them to us, the Concierge Care Advisors.
Adult Family Homes in Auburn, WA
Once the family had informed us about the details of their mother’s diagnosis. We visited them for a senior assessment. They specified budget restrictions and location – she needed to live nearby her previous neighborhood in Auburn, Washington. Then there was the doctor’s direct order, she needed a facility that provided 24-hour nursing and memory care.
So, we had our assessment. We were looking into adult family homes in Auburn, WA that had a registered nurse and staff to provide around-the-clock care.
Eventually, we found a home that was nearby Samantha’s previous residence in Auburn. There was a registered nurse who operated the facility, and she had over 17 years of home health and caregiving experience. Of course, the home also offered dementia services and was perfectly laid out so that Samantha could navigate the home without any difficulty.
Additionally, there were numerous recreational and social activities tailored to each resident’s ability. Exits were equipped with alarms to prevent residents from wandering off. And, a welcome surprise to Samantha and her family, was that the adult family home was not only home to the elders… but also chickens, ducks, rabbits, cats and dogs. Some of these were indoor animals, others came and went. Regardless, the backyard was massive, leaving a garden for the elders to tend to in addition to the animals.
And, of course, the center provided three meals and a snack every day.
They were floored. They had no idea it could be this successful and this easy.
Alzheimer’s is a Default Diagnosis
It’s not always easy to discern what problems your elder is facing. Alzheimer’s Disease is a default diagnosis… and not to frighten you, but that means they don’t know what causes it. People are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when doctors have determined it can be nothing else – that’s over 70% of cases.
If you’re concerned about your elder’s wellbeing, volunteer to get them checked out. You might give them a better quality of life for a much longer period.
