Page 18 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 22, 2024 avvya yavvy en r avvy S iorniiooro vy oiori y Dear Savvy Senior, My dad has dementia and has gotten to the point that he can’t live at home any longer. I need to fi nd a good memory care residential facility for him but don’t know where to turn. Any suggestions? Only Daughter Dear Only, Choosing a good memory care residential unit for a loved one with dementia is a very important decision that requires careful evaluation and some homework. Most memory care units, sometimes called special care units, are housed within assisted living or nursing home facilities. At their best, they off er staff extensively trained in caring for people with dementia, individualized care that minimizes the use of dangerous psychotropic drugs, a home-like environment and activities that improve resident’s quality of life. But at their worst, they can off er little more than a locked door. Here are some steps that can help you fi nd a good facility and avoid a bad one. Make a list: To identify some good memory care residential units in your area ask your dad’s doctor for a referral or use an online search tool like Caring.com. Make sure the facilities on your list are close to family members and friends who can visit often, because residents with frequent visitors usually get better care. Research your options: Once you’ve made a list, call your local long-term care ombudsman (see LTCombudsman.org for contact information). This is a government offi cial who investigates assisted living and nursing home complaints and can tell you which facilities have had problems in the past. If you’re looking at a memory care unit within a nursing home facility, use Medicare’s nursing home compare tool (Medicare.gov/care-compare), which provides a 5-star rating system. Call the facilities: Once you’ve identifi ed a few good facilities, call them to fi nd out if they have any vacancies, if they provide the types of services your father needs, what they charge io by Jim Miller How to Choose a Memory Care Unit for a Loved One with Dementia and if they accept Medicaid. Tour your top choices: During your tour, notice the cleanness and smell of the facility. Is it homey and inviting? Does the staff seem responsive and kind to its residents? Also be sure to taste the food, and talk to the current resident’s family members, if available. Also, ask about staff screening and training procedures, their turnover rate, and their staff -to-resident ratio. Make sure they provide quality activities to keep your dad engaged and fi nd out how they respond to residents who may wander or become aggressive. Because transitions can be unsettling for dementia suff ers, make sure that your dad will be able to remain at the facility for the foreseeable future. And fi nd out what, if any, health conditions might require him to leave the facility or move to a higher and more expansive level of care. It’s also a good idea to make multiple visits to the facility including an unscheduled visit in the evening or weekend when the staff is more likely to be stretched thin. To help you choose a good facility, the Alzheimer’s Association off ers a list of questions to ask at CommunityResourceFinder.org/Alz/Tips – click on “Tips for choosing a residential care facility” under Housing Options. Paying for care: The national average costs for memory care within an assisted living facility is over $6,000 per month, and over $8,500/month for nursing home care, but costs can vary widely depending on location and services. Since Medicare does not cover long-term care, most residents pay for care from either personal savings, a long-term care insurance policy or through Medicaid (if available) once their savings are depleted. Or, if your dad is a veteran, he may be able to get funds through the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefi t. To learn more, ask the facility director or contact the regional VA benefi t offi ce at 800–827–1000. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS BUYER1 BANGA, PARDEEP S GREIGE, SANDRA LU, CARLOS L MEI, SANDY REN, MEIRONG SELIG, MARY E WANJERI, PENINNAH BUYER2 SINGH, DILBAG DIPERRI 2ND, CHARLES J LU, MONA C LIN, JIAN Q SELLER1 SELLER2 ALLEN, JOANNE TERESA KAPLAN T 427 LOWELL LLC MUNIZ, MATTHEW D KAPLAN, MICHAEL P OBITUARIES | FROM PAGE 17 Robert Cataldo and his surviving wife, Diana of Middleton; and the loving grandmother of Logan Shields. A celebration of Donna's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of fl owers, contributions in Donna's memory to the MSPCA, 350 S. Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130 would be sincerely appreciated. Arrangements by the Cafasso & Sons Funeral Home, Everett. 617.387.3120 Ralph A. Ingalls Jr. November 25, 1942 ~ November 5, 2024 Ralph A. Ingalls, Jr., age 81, died unexpectedly at his Malden home on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Born in Malden on Nov. 25, 1942, Ralph was the son of the late Ralph and Mina (Tabalsky) Ingalls. He was raised and educated in Malden and had been a lifelong resident. Until the time of his retirement, Ralph had worked as a custodian for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He leaves several cousins and their families, as well as numerous neighbors and friends. Funeral services for Ralph were private. Burial was in Forest Dale Cemetery, Malden. To share a message of sympathy with Ralph’s family, please visit www.LyonsFuneral.com. - LEGAL NOTICE - City of Malden Massachusetts Board of Appeal 215 Pleasant Street Malden, Massachusetts 02148 Telephone 781-397-7000 x2104 MALDEN BOARD OF APPEAL PUBLIC HEARING The Malden Board of Appeal will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at 6:30 pm at Malden City Hall, 215 Pleasant St, Room #106 Herbert L Jackson Council Chambers, Malden, MA on Petition 24-013 by Mystic Valley Regional Charter School seeking an appeal under Code of the City of Malden as amended – Title 12 Section 12.32.040 (A) (3) to hear and decide appeals of decisions made by the Inspector of Buildings or other administrative official - Specifically the decision of Building Commissioner, Nelson Miller dated 10/23/2024 Re: the Gym Project. As per Plans Res-064150-2024 at the property known as and numbered 31 Granite Street, Malden, MA and also known by City Assessor’s Parcel ID #133-663-303 Additional information, Petition & plans available for public review in the Office of Inspectional Services, 215 Pleasant St., 3rd floor, Malden, MA or online at www.cityofmalden.org or https://maldenma-energovweb.tylerhost.net/apps/SelfService#/ home Nathaniel Cramer, Chair November 22, 27, 2024 Copyrighted material previously published in Banker & Tradesman/The Commercial Record, a weekly trade newspaper. It is reprinted with permission from the publisher, The Warren Group. For a searchable database of real estate transactions and property information visit: www.thewarrengroup.com. ADDRESS PIETRANTONIO LUCIO EST TEDESCHI-DAVIS, LISA 24 BLAINE ST BEMIS, FREDERICK W CARRIG, JOHN C GILES, MARIA 5-7 COLEMAN ST 30 FRANKLIN ST #206 87 WAITE ST EXT #56 25 EARL ST 115 WYLLIS AVE SPANOS, DEMETREOS 67 BEACH ST #67 CITY MALDEN MALDEN MALDEN MALDEN MALDEN MALDEN MALDEN DATE 10.31.24 10.31.24 10.24.24 10.24.24 10.25.24 10.30.24 10.28.24 PRICE 875000 835000 388000 465000 910000 600000 616000
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