Covid Vaccination in MCF

David J

Two issues that have been worrying me may have synergy and I’d like to bounce it off you all. 

I have been interviewing MCFs since last fall, so that I could be prepared for the eventual placement of my DW. I know that I am not equipped to care for her at home until the end. We have no children and no relatives near by. I know I can’t do this by myself as I am already on the path to burnout. Our aide was in an auto accident and will be out of commission 3 or 4 months. I am all alone with the care of DW and know I am not providing everything she needs: Socialization, exercise, entertainment, even emotional support. The Covid crisis and high rates of infection over the spring and summer last year kept me from considering placement or respite. I was thinking of placement sometime this year if we could get vaccinated and this pandemic starts to get under control in the AL and MCF environment. 

I also have been worried about one of us getting Covid, with the probability of passing it on to the other. As I mentioned, we have no children and no local family to help. If I get sick, I won’t be able to care for DW and I won’t be able to isolate. If I need to be hospitalized, there is no place for DW to go. I don’t even have place to send the dog if we get sick. Once one of us gets Covid I will be out of options  

What occurred to me was that MCF residents are in group 1a and are being vaccinated now. If I place her now, even in a respite arrangement, she will get vaccinated. Whether the move is permanent or not, she will be protected and safe, no matter what happens to me. 

So what do you think?

ElaineD

Dear David J;

I live in the Independent Living part of a complex that includes Assisted Living and Memory Care (in separate buildings).  We are scheduled to begin Covid-19 vaccinations on the 19th of January.

I suggest you contact the MC facilities you have investigated and ask them if they have already scheduled  vaccinations for their residents.   The probably have a plan in place.  I'm sure they will want incoming new residents to be vaccinated before entry to the facility.

In addition, if your DW is over 75, the vaccine may be available through your doctor, or even your pharmacy.  I have been contacted by my health care provider, asking me to schedule my vaccination for Covid-19.  Since I expect to be vaccinated where I'm living, I'm not making an appointment with my health care provider.

I am so glad we have many vaccines, and hope that everyone can be vaccinated soon.

Regards, ElaineD

M1

David, if you can hang on another week, I think once Biden is in office one of his first moves will be to activate the Defense Production Act for vaccine manufacture, and I suspect vaccine distribution may also be coordinated on a Federal level and that may help.  It will obviously take a little while for manufacture to ramp up, but I think things may look drastically different in just a few days and there may be more options......having every county do their own thing is creating chaos, obviously.....

Ed1937

David J wrote:

If I need to be hospitalized, there is no place for DW to go. I don’t even have place to send the dog if we get sick. 

David, certainly if that were to happen to you, they would find a place to take your wife. They wouldn't just leave her to fend for herself. And there are always people willing to help by keeping the dog for you until you can get out. I don't think you need to worry about any of that. Worrying about things that will not likely happen will just make things harder for you.

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David J

Thank you all for the feedback. It’s really helpful. Yes, I worry and am stressed. Sometimes to excess. I’m working on that. DW hasn’t been sleeping, so guess who else hasn’t?  Exhaustion affects my ability to cope. 

M1 I feel like I’ve already been waiting a long time and fearing that I can’t hold out until things are “safe”. I want to believe that some semblance of normal is right around the corner. I hope you’re right. 

Elaine my DW is EOAD and does not meet the age requirement under current 1b definition. That’s why I thought of getting her in a congregate facility that will get her vaccinated. All the facilities I have been talking to have multiple vac clinics scheduled January through March. I am glad you and your DH are in a place where you can get vaccinated. 

Ed I appreciate your optimism, which I needed yesterday. I just don’t know who “they” are that would take care of DW and the dog. It’s a lot to trust that it would just happen if I am incapacitated. I know that placement, even respite placement, takes time to arrange and many logistical arrangements to implement. I still think I need to solve this issue *before* a crisis occurs. 

Victoria we set up all our documents several years ago while DW could still understand what was going on and sign her name. We also have the State required Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment. My brothers, at least 3 out of 4, would jump in the car or hop a plane in a minute to come help, but I wouldn’t want to bring them into a Covid environment if I can help it. I hadn’t thought of a local fiduciary to handle things, and I was going to talk to our attorney about preventing unwanted assignment of a guardian as we get older. I have heard all sorts of scare stories. 

I note that none of you said “Great idea! Place her!”  Thank you all for your advice which had been very helpful. You can’t relieve all of my stress and anxiety, but you helped considerably. 

Dave