Sometimes "crazy" is the body's way of telling us something is wrong. What is no big deal for those of us who are strong and healthy can be a very big deal for someone who is frail and has a weak immune system. Add to that mix the inability or reluctance to describe symptoms to caregivers and you have the perfect storm for "crazy". Check out this article about urinary tract infections in the elderly. This is often misdiagnosed because cognitive decline is "expected", so we attribute behavior changes to dementia and the infection remains untreated. Most nursing staff is really good about recognizing this, but with turnover, not all the staff knows what is "normal" for your loved one. Forewarned is forearmed. Know the signs and symptoms so you can ask the facility to rule out a UTI before they try to move Mom to memory care! https://goo.gl/V6PaEu

In March 2017, Anita Desai, founder of Family Link, passed the Florida State Regulations exam given by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). A training program and successful completion of the exam is required to certify Executive Directors and administrators to lead Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) in Florida. Anita is now better equipped to educate families who are new to having a loved one as an ALF resident. This certification enables her to help families manage expectations of facility staff within the scope of what they are allowed to provide and communicate to families the specific parameters which exist in the ALF environment. This "translation link" facilitates a better understanding between the family and the facility so that they can cooperate and find the best solutions for the resident's care. Continuing Education is required for Anita to maintain her certification and we will pass along what she gleans for your benefit here on the Family Link blog!