Best, best

RESPONSE 1

The scenario involves a distraught daughter taking care of her mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease. Despite the mother’s hostile and unmanageable behavior, the daughter is reluctant of taking her to a long-term care facility. My role in this situation is to act like a consultant who advises on matters concerning health and long-term care for the old and people with disabilities or illnesses. Being the advisor and an advocate for the patient does not mean my words are directive, the person consulting has to make their own choices after having the advice they needed. My advice should also be based on how the person feels and what they want to ensure they get the best or the most appropriate care.            I would be concerned about why the daughter is worried about placing her mother in a long-term care facility. As a normal human being, I would say she is afraid because it is a new thing for her and she does not want to be separated from her or maybe she is worried about the cost of care. I might help her by telling her the benefits of placing her mother in a long-term care facility. Given her mother's condition and being unmanageable at home, opting for a long-term care facility may be the best idea because a long-term care facility would provide the patient with the necessary support and specialized care. I would tell her to have a financial plan to cater for that kind of care, by informing her about the costs involved, and also ask her to consider the benefits of a long-term care facility and weigh against the disadvantages (National Institute on Aging, 2017). If she has financial constraints, I would advise her on the government programs for the elderly that can help cater to the healthcare costs, including Medicaid. Nursing homes can have catastrophic financial implications on individuals who need lengthy care (Butler, 2015).            The information I will give her is that there are different long-term care facilities and she should have all the information regarding some of them to see which might be the best choice. Long-term care facilities provide the care that her mother requires, and it would be a good step to help her manage her illness. There are full-time professionals who will be looking after her mother and making sure her basic needs are met. In a long-term care facility, the patient would receive not only medical care but also restorative and rehabilitative support that would enable her mother to be more independent.                                                                                               

 

References Butler, S. M. (2015). Coming together on long-term care. JAMA, 314(7), 659-660. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2015.9448 National Institute on Aging. (2017, May 01). What is long-term care? https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-long-term-care

RESPONSE 2

An assisted living facility is an ideal place for this individual.  The goal is for him is to continue to have autonomy in his life decisions.  I can only imagine how losing his wife must make him feel but it is a good thing he wants to remain independent, and it shows.  The alternative result of his wife’s death could have turned complicated, and he may have become depressed and unwilling to care for himself. However, with wanting to live alone, he wants to still have the capability of being independent to perform his daily activities and maintain his privacy. The facility can encourage his freedom.  However, when he needs assistance, this facility can accommodate it.  He will get help with transportation and meal preparation. This can ease his inabilities to cook or drive. In his own home, he was alone in an unsafe environment which can increase his risk for abuse. If his health were to deteriorate suddenly, isolation would increase his chance of morbid outcomes.  The facility can provide help to any decline in health with emergency resources available. Also, the facility provides him with other people of similar ages and interests.  Therefore, promoting social interactions rather than isolation. It will help him to remain active, like new hobbies perhaps, and build new relationships with other people.