Dad has Vascular Dementia

[Elantra_Ash]

Hello,
Quick background: Dad had a quadruple bypass in 2019 which went well, but after being discharged for a week, went back to the hospital and intubated right away for sepsis/pneumonia and was in Icu in coma for a month followed by a tracheostomy in ICU for few more months after. After all that Dad was home and we were noticing strange things. He was doing weird things.. he was then diagnosed with vascular dementia.
He was 68 when all this happened and he’s now 69. He’s been in and out of hospitals consistently due to delirium, Utis, and other dementia related issues.

he lives at home and my mom is his primary caregiver. I also live with them and my husband too. Dad has bad behaviour issues towards mom. This was already how he behaved when normal and now with the dementia it’s manifested. Luckily, the hospital put him on risperodone injections every two weeks and he takes it in pill form too and it’s made it more manageable to have him at home. Dad still is able to wash himself and use the washroom on his own, sometimes needs help from mom. We do have Home support care (CCAC here in Canada).

he doesn’t eat much. Doesn’t have much of an appetite. The reason for my message is just to inquire how it works to place a parent in a long term care home. When/if the time comes, would mom have to sell her home to care for him? He listens to me more than her but my hubby and I are planning to move this year.
Any information, advice is appreciated.

 

[Louise7]

Hello @Elantra_Ash welcome to DTP. Sorry to hear about your dad's health problems. I can't offer any advice about how the care system works in Canada I'm afraid but here is a link to the Alzheimer Society in Canada's website and they also have a helpline number so will hopefully be able to provide you with some advice: https://alzheimer.ca/en

I know of one forum member who is in Canada - @Canadian Joanne - so will tag her in to this message in case she can help with your query.

 

[Canadian Joanne]

@Elantra_Ash here is a link for Ontario (I'm assuming that's where you are located) with the procedures and requirements for long term care. https://www.ontario.ca/page/about-long-term-care You will have to contact your local LHIN but the link outlines how to do so.

 

[millalm]

@Elantra_Ash I am also in Ontario, Mississauga to be exact. You mention CCAC in your post, which is now called the Local Health Integrated Network (LHIN) that Joanne refers to. If you are already getting PSW visits from them it means you probably already have a Case Manager. and would have needed a referral from the Dr to set this into motion. The Case Manager is the person who you should be talking to about the issues your parents are having because of your Dads deteriorating health condition. They should be informing you of the steps you would take to initiate the LTC application process. The short version ( before covid, not sure if there have been some changes) is that after you have Case Manager approval for your Dad to be eligible for a LTC placement you pick 5 homes that you would accept a placement for him, and rank them from first to last in order of your preference. With covid you will have to do virtual tours of the homes because there are no inperson tours right now. You complete the forms with the LHIN Case Manager and your Dad will go on the waitlists. Depending of the severity of the situation and his and your Mums safety they may decide that a 'crisis' placement is needed which will speed up the process. All rooms in LTC homes are charged to the resident at a cost set by the Provincial Government and there is no means test involved. A private room in a modern home is currently $2701.00 per month. A shared room is about $800 less than that, in the newer homes it typically means sharing a washroom with a room mate, but having a private space divided by a partial wall or curtain. If your parents do not have enough income to afford the shared accomodation fee, then your Dad will have to accept a shared room and apply for the the monthly fee to be discounted which is determined by a means test at that point. If your Mum is not eligible for long term care and keeps her own residence there is a tax benefit for them which helps offset the cost of them living separately.
Good luck!