She is a tiny, frail lady in her late 80s. But this was not an encounter with some down-and-out bag lady shuffling along Horton St. Isabelle is seated with two other ladies at a nursing home dining table awaiting her evening meal. Neatly groomed, gray hair fashionably coiffed, she looked up at me with plaintive eyes and said, "I am lost."
People who have Alzheimer's Disease and its related dementias are truly lost. Their whole world is becoming more strange and unfamiliar. The number of people suffering from this disease is growing rapidly. Science has only a rather vague idea of what causes it and so far there is no cure.
I am raising this subject as an introduction to what caregivers should know. First, money does not buy one's way into a nursing home in Ontario. No one can be admitted to one without the consent of the Community Care Access Centre. Regulations are strict. An assessment is made by CCA social workers to determine what the sufferer requires. This could be home visitations, advice or applying for admittance to a nursing home. In the latter case, there likely will be a lengthy wait for an opening in one.
The point of this message is to warn people who might think that mom or dad can simply be dropped off at the nearest nursing home. They are in for a surprise.
Next time, I will provide more details of just what is needed and that includes the caregiver (spouse or children.) There is a a difference between a nursing home and a retirement home, too.
If you have questions that you would like answered in this blog, email me at I.Brace@Rogers.com
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