3 Considerations to Make when the Senior with ALS Looks to Assisted Living

May 11, 2015 by ·

Assisted Living in Daphne AL

Living with ALS is going to create more challenges than somebody who has not been diagnosed with this particular disease. ALS, also commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, can affect their ability to get around, use their arms and legs, and to do many activities for their basic care.Assisted Living in Daphne AL

During the earlier stages of the disease, the symptoms may be relatively minor, such as subtle tremors, minor loss of mobility in the arms or legs, and other such issues. As it progresses, it will become much more significant and there are various care options available. The two most common are home care aides, also commonly referred to as home care providers, and assisted-living. Nursing home care may be a topic that comes up at some point in time, but it is generally reserved for people who require a significant amount of direct medical care throughout the day and during the overnight hours.

As for assisted living, there are a number of considerations to make whenever looking at a particular facility. It’s important that the person feels comfortable within that environment. For somebody who has been diagnosed with ALS, below are three considerations they may wish to make about a particular assisted living facility.

1. Experienced staff. If staff members working at a facility don’t have direct experience with Lou Gehrig’s disease, it may pose various challenges for them in helping the particular senior feel comfortable and get proper services. Make sure the facility has staff members who have at least a significant level of experience working with individuals with ALS.

2. Transportation services. Somebody who has been diagnosed with ALS will likely need to visit a doctor on a regular basis. Since they most likely no longer drive, it’s more important than ever that they have somebody there at the facility who can transport them to and from those appointments.

3. Nursing support. Many assisted living communities have visiting nurses who work with their residents. Somebody with ALS may require a significant amount of assistance with a variety of things, including administering medications and much more. Somebody who is not licensed or certified to administer medications cannot do so legally. Most nurses are licensed to administer medications, so it’s a good idea to ensure that any particular assisted living community has visiting nurses on staff for that very purpose.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Daphne, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

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About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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