Dear Virginia--
Good luck to you --it will be a major move for you, and be prepared that
you both may have a hard time with the stress---quite aside from the effect
of stess on PD, any big change is disrupting. Having a daughter close will
be a big help. The place sounds great---
>We will be going to Rochester, Minnesota to be near our daughter since I
>could no longer keep it up without one of them near. Our son-in-law will
>drive us. We found a "rental" in an independent senior living community that
>offers enough support for now. The apartment is lovely, three bedrooms with
>a large master bedroom for us "giants" (he's 6'5" and I'm 5-11). We have to
>take eight meals apiece per month and can take more at a reasonable price, if
>desired. Ted will be able to use his electric wheel chair to get around with
>a little independence and will have an emergency "button". The place does
>offer programs, exercise and other support if needed. The lack of
>independence has been so hard for him to swallow and they have a bus that can
>take him and wheel chair to senior center, the "subway" in downtown Rochester
>which gives protected access to many, many stores, library, etc.
Yes, Mayo is good--but there can be snafus there as anywhere, and while
I've not gone there, I know of the experience of others. Advance
preparation helps, but red tape is a problem, as you said. Hope the
personal contact you have will help--but be prepared to do some advocacy if
you need to. At least you won't have to travel there from afar!
>
>I know the Mayo clinic is good, but it is so big and the beaurocracy is
>trememdous. Can't get a get acquainted appointment until April, even though
>we've been there before and they have info on us. Must go through
>gate-keeper doctor to get the other specialists and, in the meantime, even
>the best of doctors don't all understand Parkinson's. Our daughter did get
>an excellent recommendation for the gate-keeper doctor from a friend of hers
>who is not taking new patients and is making an exception.
We have no requirement for congregate dinners here, and at present only a
few cottages are built---we were the 5th occupants, but are now getting
more neighbors--many of them folks we know , which is nice. Evantually we
will have all 4 levels of care, but cottages came first. We have the
greatest location, end of a cluster of 3, end of the street, view of trees
, total privacy.....love it!
>I hope your "cottage" is like home by now. We had looked at a place with a
>"cottage" arrangement, but you had to have dinners in their place and it was
>a distance in the bad weather to get there so we didn't go that route, though
>we were temped.
Good luck with the move, and let us know how it goes.
Camilla Flintermann, CG for Peter 81/70/55
Oxford, Ohio
http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/camilla/one.htm
<[log in to unmask]>
also, on PDWebring at http://members.tripod.lycos.nl/genugten/flinterm.htm
"Ask me about the CARE list for
Caregivers of Parkinsonians ! "
