From ALF to Nursing Home - Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Message Board

betsntom · 05-16-2004, 01:22 PM

My 83 year old mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's several years ago. She has been in an ALF for about a year. I only have enough money to keep her there for about 12 more months. At that time, I won't have any choice but to move her to a nursing home, which medicaid will pay for.
She has been on Aricept for quite some time and it has kept her at a pretty stable place in her disease. Her memory does not really seem to be getting any worse and hasn't for at least a year. However, it is bad enough that she can't remember anything for longer than about a half an hour. My dilemma is that if she remains at this current mental "place" I think that the move to a nursing home will be very depressing for her. I am considering taking her off of Aricept so that the transition to a nursing home will not be as bad for her.
Any suggestions from anyone? Please, if anyone has any negative opinions about me being horrible for even suggesting such a thing, please keep those opinions to yourself. This is a hard enough decision without hurtful criticism.

WildSigns · 06-03-2004, 06:22 PM

hi Betsntom, have you tried looking into the legal part? I know here in Massachusetts it is hard to get someone into a nursing home, they have to be very advanced in alzheimers, and if they are already living in a assisted living facilty it is illegal to send them somewhere else when the money runs out, even to smaller apartments in the same facilty. Try talking to a ombudsman about it (or social worker)
Don't think of yourself as being mean for thinking of taking your mom off of her meds to make the transition better for her, its a brave thing to think about.
But all in all if you do have to move her to a nursing home, to tell you the truth, most people that I know that had to move from a alf to a nursing home like it better, they get more attention, and feel safer.
take care

SnowyLynne63 · 06-03-2004, 07:26 PM

She will most likely advance to the next stages of Ad sooner,I would keep her on the Aricept.IMHO..........

BarbaraH · 06-05-2004, 07:10 AM

Hi,

My 88 year old mother is in the same situation, but lasted in the ALF just 7 months before she bagan wandering and went out the door at night once. We were told she had to move. By this phase in her Alzheimer's, she'd already forgotten I was her daughter, my name, and how many children she had (I'm the only one). She even thought her furniture was mine and complimented me on how pretty the room was. She had become unsteady on her feet, requiring a walker. I moved her to a locked facility so she couldn't wander outside and get lost. She was not aware of the change except for thinking she was on a boat because she had a roommate. She also talked about visits from her deceased sister. I had her put on an anti-depressant after reading that it's depressing to realize your mind is slipping away. That helped her aggitation and tears. 1 1/2 years ago, she forgot how to walk (moved out of locked area since could no longer make a get-away) and could not care for herself at all. I had her Reminyl stopped then for the same reasons you've stated. She's now very emaciated though she eats well. She must be fed at this stage of Alzheimer's and takes little notice of her surroundings. It's a cruel disease.

Just make the best decisions you can and don't fret that you cannot fix this unhappy situation.

Blessings, Barbara