Assisted living issues that may apply to your situation

November 14, 2018
Kevin Tharpe

Many Georgia elders are currently living with degenerative or acute adverse health conditions that make it impossible for them to function independently throughout the day. They may need help performing personal hygiene tasks or, perhaps, with cooking, cleaning or other day-to-day matters. Assisted living facilities provide much-needed care for thousands of aging men and women; however, before choosing a facility, there are several important factors elders will want to consider.

There are often hidden costs involved in living assistance arrangements. For instance, some facilities charge extra fees for delivering packages to a resident’s room or administering medication. A woman living on a fixed income in another state was charged approximately $500 in addition to her rent for services, such as transporting her by wheelchair to meals, helping with personal hygiene and getting the medicine she needed.

Another problematic issue in many assisted care facilities is that services that are advertised are not always part of the reality residents experience once they move in. A woman reported how disappointed she was when her mother entered a place that advertised many activities as well as specialized Alzheimer’s care. She said not only did her mother suffer repeated infections due to lack of personal hygiene care, but the ward placed residents at risk because doors automatically opened if pressure was applied for more than 15 seconds, thus enabling dementia patients exit access.

Any Georgia elder or adult child acting on behalf of a parent who is concerned about assisted living issues may consult with an experienced elder law attorney. Especially regarding the fine print and terms contained within a contract, an attorney can review a case and determine a best course of action. By speaking with someone well versed in elder law regulations before signing a contract, it may be possible to avoid some of the problems mentioned earlier in this post.

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Kevin Tharpe

With 25 years of experience, Kevin understands how estate planning, special needs planning, and government benefits programs work together. This is a crucial element of a thorough plan. He explains your eligibility for benefits programs and ensures that you do not make costly mistakes that may disqualify you or deplete your assets.

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