How Will Assisted Living Work for Dad?

Spring Creek Manor is a for-profit assisted living center. The price of a room depends on the type of room (the one we were looking at is their standard room), and the capability of the resident. There are three levels. 1 = little if any assistance required, 2 = moderate assistance required, and 3 = significant assistance required. Dad would fall somewhere between 2 and 3. In that case, the room would cost about $2,600 dollars a month.

The fee includes three meals and snacks, and assistance as required. Furnishings, bedding, clothing, and personal care items are provided by the resident. Transportation is available, but at an extra cost. He can have a TV (cable … ICSofIdaho.com) and a telephone, paid for by the resident.

Today, however, dad was not doing very well. He is very weak and is running a temperature. They’ve had to give him insulin to get his blood sugar levels down. He’s not fussed at all about getting out of bed but wasn’t all that happy that he hadn’t gotten clean. He couldn’t get out of bed and to the toilet, so they brought in an interesting machine that they strapped him into which then wheeled him into the bathroom, lowered him down onto the toilet, hoisted him back up, and wheeled him back to the bed where they could lower him down onto the bed. I wish I’d taken a picture of the machine!

He’ll transfer from the hospital into skilled nursing on Wednesday. He can stay in skilled nursing up to 20 days, but only if he “cooperates” and “makes progress”. Both are required. If he cannot make progress, then he’ll be discharged from skilled nursing. We’ll have at least three days notice that he’ll be discharged. Depending on the evaluation made while he’s in skilled nursing, from there he’ll either go to the assisted living center, or into the nursing home. If he requires assistance at all facets of life, he’ll go to the nursing home, and in that case, Spring Creek Manor will refund the deposit. If he only needs some assistance, he can go into the assisted living center. In any regard, he’ll not be going back home.