Saw my doctor today

[left-of-center2012]

Well, my 'primary care' doctor. I have five doctors.

I had asked one of the receptionists several months ago how the doctors divide their time between patients, and she said depending upon your needs they set aside either 15 minutes or 30 minutes per patient.

This guy spent over one hour with me this morning, discussing my various ailments, tests, medications and the issues I've been having with my memory the past year or so.

He suggested my moving into an assisted living facility and, when I got done laughing, we discussed other possibilities for getting things more under control.

An assisted living facility would be great, but they run around $3,000 a month, if Google is correct. Not something I can afford.

[Siwsan]

1. They are expensive, that's for sure

The one my aunt was in started REALLY reasonable. But then the 'extra' charges started building up. If she needed help with practically anything, they upped the bill. Then they said they had to supply her over the counter medicines, and they bought them from a place that was SO over inflated, I almost fainted, when I saw the bill. And don't even get me started on the "house physician". She'd have been in better hands with a Shaman.

Once my sister became too ill to take care of things, it fell to me, and I became a royal pain in their side.

I know that there are some really good assisted living places, out there. This, supposedly, was one of them. But you have to scrutinize the bills to prevent them from exploiting.

[marybourg]

4. Don't forget that if your aunt

were at home and needed that help, she'd have to pay for it also, in addition to her regular expenses.

You should have been allowed to have her over the counter meds sent yourself. Unless a state law prohibits it. I get my spouse's sent from Amazon and bring them myself on a schedule.

[Siwsan]

6. Had she not broken her hip, I'd have brought her home, when I retired

But once that happened, we all knew it was just a matter of time. She was 98, and broke her hip on New Year's Day. I retired on June 9. She died September 9.

[marybourg]

2. I Have you added up what it costs you

to live now? Nearly everything you pay for now, except for Doctor co -pays and toiletries will be covered by your assisted living rent.

[left-of-center2012]

7. I'm on Social Security ...

... and get the national average, which is way lower than the cost of assisted living.

“In the Cost of Care Survey conducted by Genworth Financial, assisted living national median monthly rate is $3,750 ($45,000 a year)."

[samnsara]

3. im dealing with this decision for my parents...

...they are 90 miles from me, still living in the same town (and in the SAME home with an acre of land to take care of) we were born in but all my sisters and all the rest of the family have moved away from that cesspool. Now my parents are in their 80's-90's and in need of assistance with just daily stuff as they tend to do things or get stuff that lands them in the hospital for a week at a time and then yours truly has to leave my own family and go stay there and help out until there are 2 of them there again.

Actually they really NEED to be in assisted living but my gosh it is horribly expensive.. also they have dogs....and my parents would NEVER agree to such a place.

So maybe a suggestion for you would be what we are aiming to do with my parents is buy them a home in a retirement community. They will still have their independence.( and you would too). A fenced in yard for the dogs...and lots of amenities that come with the place.

[marybourg]

5. As someone who lives in a retirement community

And has a spouse in assisted living, let me assure you that the first is in no way a substitute for the second.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. If the doctor actually recommended assisted living

for you, then he's strongly suggesting that you can't be living on your own.

Costs do vary greatly, so it wouldn't hurt to investigate some such facilities where you live. Or find out if some kind of home health care is available to you at little or no cost.

[left-of-center2012]

9. "you can't be living on your own"

Yeah, that's pretty much his thinking.
But I think I can cope for some time longer.