Researching care facilities online isn’t as easy as you might expect. Each Assisted Living Facility decides what level of care they will offer. They are all different and offer a wide range of services that differ from facility to facility. Assistance ranges from very little to a very high level of assistance. Also, it’s confusing, because prices vary considerably and how they charge can be different which makes it difficult to compare by price. If you choose to go it alone with a free online resource, avoid these common pitfalls assembled by our team.

The answer is yes. Are you in the process of deciding which Assisted Living Facility in the Denver area would be the best for your loved one? In your search, you will come across many assisted living referral or placement agencies that offer services. There are two types of referral agencies. Below, are some basics you should know first before choosing.

Are you considering using the services of a Denver Assisted Living Referral or Placement service like Stacys Helping Hand, Inc? We’ve previously reviewed the benefits in detail in our blog post Are Denver Assisted Living Placement Services A Good Resource?, but below we share questions to ask and specifics to look for to be prepared. For example, an important question to ask a referral service about recommended facility options is whether or not they know the facility’s reputation (i.e. through a resident advocate, other 3rd parties, clients that have moved there). Unfortunately, some agents may not have the expertise to assess your loved one’s current social and physical care needs, look ahead to their future care needs, and what that will mean financially in care costs. Below are answers we provide all of our clients; and, questions you should make sure you ask any referral agency you choose.

Free Case Managers/Discharge Planners at Hospitals and Rehabilitation facilities can be a good resource for you and your elderly loved one if your loved one needs to transition to a care facility. Unfortunately, they are often stretched for time and rarely tour Assisted Living or other care facilities. They simply don’t have the time. Case managers often have 25 to 50 cases. Simply, your Case Manager may not have the time to give your family the attention you need to find your loved one the best fit.

Since Discharge Planners are not in the care facilities, they’ve relied on us, on more than one occasion when a senior needs a nursing home or memory care facility. With our experience with local facilities, we know that a specific, small assisted living facility can offer the high level of care your senior needs, would be a better fit, and is much less expensive.

Sifting through all of the details is tough. Below is a list of our top benefits and concerns of solely working with a Case Manager and/or Discharge Planner. For complete details, read our story. Are Denver Discharge Planners A Good Resource for Assisted Living Facilities?

Figuring out how to pay for assisted living can be terrible, but it’s also unavoidable. A little preparation can go a long way. If you aren’t prepared to pay out of pocket, then you should probably reach out to our team of local experts who can help you explore in more detail the ways you can pay for Assisted Living.

There are three tiers of VA benefits for older wartime veterans and their dependents. Basic Pension can be considered the first tier, Housebound the second tier, and Aid and Attendance (A&A) the third tier. At Stacys Helping Hand, Inc we’ve learned that many people don’t know about Aid and Attendance and if they do, they’ve probably avoided trying since so many people are denied. Often, veterans who need help often don’t have the expertise necessary for conveying their needs in order to receive the A&A benefits. There is an art to receiving the benefits, and many more details that can result in a denial. One problem many veterans encounter is that they are supposed to apply for A&A before Medicaid.

Does Medicaid pay for Assisted Living? Medicaid is funded in part by the federal government and in part by the states. If you are confused about Medicaid, you aren’t alone. The Federal and State government are continuously changing rules surrounding healthcare, making it difficult for many people to know if they are using the correct information and making the right choices. Below, we’ve gathered some of the main benefits and drawbacks as well as some links to our vetted resources. Or, feel free to give our team at Stacys Helping Hand, Inc a call at the number above if you would like a Denver assisted living expert to help provide some clarity.

Stacys Helping Hand, Inc client Jo Deane Hinton, shares his video testimonial with us after working with owner Pam Silverberg, CSA and Joe Bradshaw, RN. We are very thankful to him for his kinds words.

People often think of what an assisted living facility is in the literal sense, living with just a little assistance. Many families wait to call us for our help for assisted living in Denver CO until they think that their loved one needs a nursing home because they can’t dress themselves or they need assistance with bathing or medication. But, you might be surprised by how many quality of life services assisted living facilities actually provide that could alter WHEN your family starts their search.

First of all, the team at Stacys Helping Hand, Inc appreciates and wants to thank Geriatric Care Managers for what they do. We’ve found that this profession is a calling for them because they care. Previously, they may have even been a nurse or case manager at a hospital. As they honed their skills and preferences, they realized many seniors need more hands-on guidance. We have a lot in common. Most Geriatric Care Managers have been placing clients for years on their own. Because of this, they hesitate to call us to help assess their client’s needs and determine which is the best care and housing option. But, it is time intensive and sometimes, a family just needs more one-on-one assistance. Here are four reasons, we hope to work in tandem with more case managers:

Caring for a senior who has mental health issues can be one of the hardest challenges someone faces in their life. A family caregiver might be able to face the daily challenges with grace, but sometimes, transferring a loved one into Senior living, Assisted Living or a Nursing Home is necessary. Making the decision to transfer can be exceptionally difficult because caregivers often feel like they “should” be able to care for their elderly mom or dad.

Your loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia might become suspicious of the people around them. Changes can be stressful for anyone, but they are especially difficult for a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia can increase feelings of fear and fatigue from trying to make sense out of an increasingly confusing world. The good news is that if you are dealing with paranoid behaviors, there are things you can do to minimize the outburst and reduce their chances of recurring. Below, our team at Stacys Helping Hand, Inc shares steps you can take and tips to help your loved one.

Are you feeling overwhelmed going through the process of researching and deciding if it’s time for your loved one to enter assisted living? You’re not alone. This is almost never an easy time for families. We understand. In addition to having assisted hundreds of Colorado families through this tough time, we have personally been through the process. As Denver’s Assisted Living Experts, the team at Stacys Helping Hand, Inc are advocates for you and your loved one through this transition. Our promise is to not only help your loved one find the best environment for their physical and mental well being, but to support you and your family during this emotional journey.

By the time the actual day comes for your loved one to move, there is a mixed bag of emotions for everyone involved. The process is challenging, but if you stay positive and ask for help, you can overcome the temporary stress. There is plenty of work to go around so conduct a family meeting to prepare, plan and delegate:

Once you’ve decided on an assisted living facility for your loved one the transition process might feel like a whirlwind, but facilities will help guide the process. They’ll want to review the finances and you’ll need to go through mounds of paperwork. Doctors also need to sign off that your loved one needs assisted living. One main thing our team at Stacys Helping Hand, Inc looks for after picking an Assisted Living Facility is to check that the facility is prepared to adequately care for your loved one. This sounds like a minor detail, but it’s really important and often overlooked.

Transitions are never really easy, but they can be especially difficult for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Everything in Tips for Visiting a Loved One After a Transition still applies, but with Alzheimer’s and dementia, the process can be more involved. Anxiety often runs high, so any tactics that involve fond, comforting memories will help. You just keep trying different approaches until something works. Sometimes you have to think a little bit outside of the box in order to achieve a good outcome. Here are a few things that have worked for our clients at Stacys Helping Hand, Inc to soothe people in memory care:

After your loved one is in an Assisted Living facility, previous caregivers and family members need to shift gears. Assisted Living facilities are normally good at fulfilling people’s physical care needs. Moving forward, family members need to put a renewed focus on well being and purpose. This doesn’t just apply to your loved one, it applies to everyone.

Stacys Helping Hand clients Valerie and her mom Elizabeth share how Pam and her team helped them transition to a new Assisted Living Facility in Denver, Colorado that would be a better fit. After Valerie’s Dad died, her mom’s social and community needs changed. The place she was in was a good facility, just not the best fit for her lifestyle.

The phrase “quality of life” is everywhere these days. Like a box delivered to your doorstep, a good quality of life is something you can buy and own. It’s in mission statements and brochures. Through overuse, the phrase lost meaning. Quality of Life is just words.

As the demographics of our country transforms and more of us enter Assisted Living communities, the communities evolve too. People still want a good quality of life, but our team at Stacys Helping Hand knows that there is more to it than that.