Assessment Answers the Question:
Should My Mother Continue To Live By Herself?
Mrs. R's son needed help determining whether his recently widowed mother was safe living at home. An assessment revealed that she was marginally coping with independence. She was clearly depressed and somewhat confused. It took time to sort out how much of her confusion was from depression, how much was related to her hearing deficit, and how much might be attributed to early stage dementia.
Mrs. R was in denial of any problems and was very much against the idea of moving to a retirement residence. She admitted having some difficulties getting along with other people due to her poor hearing and subsequent misunderstanding of what was said to her. New hearing aids helped. An antidepressant and grief and reminiscence counseling with a Sanders & Warren care manager lifted her depression, cleared most of the confusion, and increased her self-esteem and willingness to be sociable.
While she had difficulty admitting to problems she was having, she did complain a lot about the stairs in her building and the noisy younger people who lived there. The care manager helped her to understand the many benefits of living within a retirement community. Eventually she was persuaded to visit several retirement residences and chose the one she liked the best.