Earlier this month, I arranged for my elderly mother to move to an independent living facility. While she is still quite independent, she is increasingly unable to walk without assistance. Her 30-year tenure in a comfortable mobile home park has come to end.
Things I would recommend if you are in this position or will be facing a situation like this:
Move quickly. I think the speed in which we made the change was of the essence. Since mom already had the facility picked out that she wanted go to, that was half the battle. Papers were signed and the move went forward in one week.
She still thinks she can drive. I am most perplexed by this state of mind. My mother is 89 and can barely walk. The car is being sold since she will be transported everywhere by either the facility or her friends.
Once the decision has been made to make the move, have someone present at all times. What I mean is that friends, neighbors, acquaintances, not-so-well-meaning people come out of the woodwork. Those people, the not-so-well-meaning ones will strip the place if you let them.
For the spouses of honorably discharged veterans that go into care facilities, there is a VA pension as a supplement to income. I've completed the paperwork for my mom and have hired a service to submit the application.
Those are my tidbits of wisdom.
On the Mr. VZ front, the newest wrinkle is a diagnosis of lesions on his spleen and right now, we don't know what that means ...
I hope to get back to my usual quilting, thrifting and general mischief making.
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