Allentown Senior AdvisorWhat should we do first after a dementia diagnosis?
Get the legal documents done while your parent can still sign them: a durable financial power of attorney, a health care power of attorney and advance directive, and an updated will, then review who handles bills and medications day to day.
An elder law attorney can also review Medical Assistance planning; the five-year look-back makes early advice valuable. Ask the doctor for a written summary of the diagnosis, which a dementia unit will later need.
How do we keep a parent with dementia safe at home?
Start with the risks that cause emergencies: driving, the stove, medications, wandering and falls, using automatic stove shut-offs, locked medication dispensers, door alarms, an ID bracelet and a plan for when driving must stop.
Home care, adult day programs and the LIFE program can extend safe time at home. The county Area Agency on Aging can connect family caregivers with support groups and respite.
When does a parent with dementia need a secured unit?
A secured dementia care unit is usually needed when a parent tries to leave and cannot find the way back, wanders at night, or no longer recognizes danger, and Pennsylvania requires a medical evaluation documenting that need before admission.
29 of the 70 licensed homes in Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties have a secured dementia care unit or special care unit on their DHS certificate, with 1,122 unit places in all; the largest is Saucon Valley Manor with 100. See regular floor or secured unit.
How do Lehigh Valley families pay for dementia care?
Most pay privately at first; VA Aid and Attendance can help eligible veterans and survivors, long-term care insurance often covers dementia units, and Medical Assistance pays for nursing home care, but no public program pays room and board on a personal care home's dementia unit.
Ask every dementia unit whether it keeps residents who spend down their savings. If not, plan the nursing home step early.
What should we look for when touring a dementia unit?
Look for consistent staff who know each resident by name, a calm and uncluttered space, a secure outdoor area, activities happening when you arrive unannounced, and a clear answer about how many staff are on the unit at night.
Ask to see the latest DHS inspection summary and whether any citations involved the unit. Our facility pages show each home's dementia unit capacity and recent violations.
At a glance
| Early planning is | Early planning is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal | Powers of attorney signed while capacity remains | Something to do after a crisis |
| Care | A timeline from home help to a secured unit | An immediate move for everyone |
| Money | Knowing which programs pay for what | Gifting assets to qualify later |
Sources include 55 Pa. Code Chapters 20, 2600 and 2800, Pennsylvania DHS, Department of Health and Department of Aging pages, CMS, VA and CareScout rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
