I would love to say volunteers. But in my experience, for advanced Alzheimer's patients, a home care company is the one that can offer this kind of service. But it is pricy. However, depending on how long you need the help, if it is part-time, it is cheaper than a nursing home. If it is 24 hours, a nursing home is cheaper because they include food and activities.

My mother just had minor stroke and we are thinking of church people who can help. But they will only call or drop by each day as we hope. However she is normal in her mind so it is a different issue.

I hope you have luck finding help at home. I thought in asssited living, one needs a maid too. (Nursing home will help you to find maids.)

I am sorry that your sister did that. She should not have bothered her. Doesn't she know that even if she may be right, she was making her mother/your mother sicker by creating confusion?

Hope you and your family will come to a common solution.

Nina

In-home care services do this. Be aware that this would be considered "custodial care" and not medical, so Medicare won't pay for it. However, if you find someone on your own - say a retired nurse or someone, and privately hire them - then you become the employer and that brings up insurance and Social Security payments and such, so it can open a can of worms that way. It's possible, but can be a lot of trouble.

If you are just looking for respite care, many cities have Retired Senior Volunteers who have a senior companion program. That can be an enormous help, but again this wouldn't be all day help.

There is also government supported respite care, through most states. Much of it goes unused because people don't know about it. Try calling your county Adult Services and see if they know of such a program.

Carol

Please look at this website for support. They have local chapter.

http://www.alz.org/we_can_help_local_chapters_wch.asp

It helped us a lot. My father-in-law is in stage 6. So it has a long way to go. Attorney fees are ridiculously high for just handling a trust or POA. The 24 hours home care is expensive and that is what he is having. He lives in Evanston, IL. We are concerned with his money. Soon he would go to a skilled nursing home because he would be sicker later on. Now the caregivers have to tell him to take showers and he has diapers to prevent accidents.

Your sister needs to know that it is a waste of time on attorneys. Mother-daughter is a good relationship for personal care at home until the very end but it will make you feel exhausted. The cost will be more and more when she gets sicker.

Your family should focus on saving or handling the money for long-term care. It is a big headache.

Fortunately my father-in-law has lots of investments but we don't count on getting too much although probably some will be left from the house.

Nina

Carol is right, home care service may not be medical except the service done by a nurse as nursing care. Medicare does not cover nursing home either unless you get medicaid for poor elderly, which would be the last step. Nursing home was only covered the first 5 months provided the patient was transferred from the hospital or the like. Most of the time, nursing home and home care are not covered unless she has long-term care insurance.  But Medicaid probably won't cover home care.

Home care is new service and new concept. Most patients like to be at home unless some women prefer to go to an assisted living by choice for reason of being considerate for the family.

I personally feel that nursing home would be easier if the patient allows it. In our case, we have to oversee home care most of the times and it is a lot of work because the salary, food, house repair and personal care costs are too much!!

Nina

Usually hospitals have social workers or eldercare management that can help with that,or your cmmunity councilman's office has a ton of info.