Aging Issues

This page was created November/December 2005 based on notes taken from a family gathering (Jim B, Aurelia, Jenny Anne, Emily Jim M) on Oct. 15, 2005. The purpose of creating a web page is to allow easy reference for anyone in the family, and hopefully to facilitate updating the document over time as new information and ideas are discussed. Hopefully this can form somewhat of a repository of ideas and corporate memory reference for information related to this topic.

A. Factors

• What are some good indicators of when it's time to move from full independent to some level of assistance in living?
• ability to keep up with regular things such as driving, grocery shopping, getting to Dr. appointments
  
• What are symptoms of alzheimers?  How do you distinguish them from plain old age?
• What are symptoms of parkinsons?  How do you distinguish them from plain old age?
• What are indicators of when it's time to stop driving?
• eyesight (pray for Uncle Niles in this regard)
• What about Red Feather altitude?  Will this limit how long Dad and Mom can live there?
• maybe since they've lived steadily at 8K ft, instead of shifting from low to high, they'll be okay?
• What about the loss of community context -- friends and social life?
• keeping in mind possible friends that might move to the same facility or close enough for continued contact:
  
  1. Uncle Vern & Aunt Beth
  2. Uncle Niles & Aunt Ann
     
  • Mark & Marcy have designs on moving to Colorado, with U. Niles & A. Ann's aging in mind
    
• What about church attendence while in a home?
• What about our witness?  What message are we communicating in the way we care for our parents?
• How do we guard against caring for our parents not needlessly aging us kids in the process?
• How do costs compare between nursing home versus living with kid and paying for in home care?
• How long is the wait to get into nursing homes?
• What about technological possibilities like some sort of tracking device that could provide extended independence while still providing greater monitoring?
• What about a cell phone for Mom & Dad, for emergencies at least?
• Cell phones are now pretty common in RFL, even some without land lines and only cell
• Verizon is prefered carrier
• Jim's note: I thought Verizon had a $35 setup fee, then only pay for usage, but it appears you still pay $30/month!
• What are other ways to creatively preserve Dad and Mom's independence and freedom while providing greater assistance
• Mom & Dad aren't tied to the physical location of their cabin (like the extreme of people who have lived in the same house their whole life)
• Does Emily have too many things on her shoulders?

B. "Nursing home" options

1. Nursing home in Red Feather?
   
• none now; but an outside possibility
2. Loveland Good Samaritan
• Dad and Mom, JA, Em, Jim, Sammie, Rachel & Jamie toured 3 Dec 2005
• 5-10 minutes from Jim's house
• 15-20 minutes from JA's house
  
3. Greely Good Samaritan - Bonnell?
• Uncle Niles and and Ann -- connection?
• Tour scheduled: __________________
  
4. Fort Collins Good Samaritan
• Tour scheduled: __________________
5. Alterra in Loveland-
   
• where Aunt Ruth McCreery is
• Tour scheduled: __________________
6. Pasadena PCUSA homes
• D&M not particularly keen on this option-- people they know there, but they are dying

C. Living with kids

• Ranch with Jenny Anne
• Duplex next to Jim (handicap accessible architecture)
• would need to come up for sale & Jim be able to buy it in a timely fashion with respect to Dad and Mom's needing it
• good location in terms of easy to walk to grocery store, bank, fast food
  
• In home care -- availability?
  

D. Other options