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In the AL facility, they have a physician who sees/treats the residents, or they can continue to go to their regular doctor. My mom told me that she told the nurses she will continue to see her regular doctor. My mom has dementia and couldn't even remember the doctor's name. My mom is mostly confined to a wheelchair, and the logistics of getting her into and out of a car for doctor visits overwhelms me just thinking about it. Those of you with a loved one in AL, do you use the doctor there or still take them to their previous doctor? My mom was in skilled nursing at this same facility for 6 weeks prior to going to AL. The doctor and nurses there treated her, and I actually felt like they took her into account instead of just re-prescribing the same meds the way her former doctor did. I am the lone ranger in her caregiving, so this would all be up to me to make happen. I was hoping to catch my breath a bit when she moved to AL, and not have to continue the endless parade of doctor's appointments. What do you do?

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It might be a good idea to find out if the doctor is available every day. My dad is in independent living at a place that offers both independent and assisted living. The doctor is only available one day a week. I asked what we would need to do if Dad were sick on one of the other days, and they told me that he'd need to go the ER. We are continuing with his regular doctor (a geriatrician) for now. But we don't have to deal with a wheelchair at present, which would make transit much more difficult.
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If she is willing I would have her see the in house doc. I just went through a week of hauling my parents to 3 different docs, blood tests etc, it was an ordeal and honestly none of these visits were even necessary. Mom has a cardio, urologist, ortho, general, and dentists. Getting ready, making the drive, getting into the office, long waits, getting home, OMG! It just nuts!
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Becky, I assume the assistant living doctor has an office on site, along with a nurse, correct? If yes, then I vote for the house doctor as that way your Mom will have the added comfort knowing there is a doctor just down the hall or in the next building.

My parents had their long list of different doctors, and most of them will say "come back in 3 months for a follow-up".... finally I learned those follow-ups aren't really necessary unless the doctor is following a serious situation. I was getting to a point where if I saw another waiting room I would scream.
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I vote for the on- site doctor.

when my mother finally left her isolated suburban home for Independent Living, we also left behind her Internist and Cardiologist, who each saw her quite a bit, changed her medications constantly and who never, ever saw the increasing anxiety and panic that my mom was experiencing.

Once in Independent Living, my mom was able to get herself to the adjoining AL building for geriatric doctor visits. He reduced many of her meds. He gave her his cell phone number and told her ( and me) to call any time. He got her to see the on-site geriatric psychiatrist who properly medicated mom's anxiety AND recommended a cognitive assessment. It turned out mom had had a strike which left her with some cognitive impairment, hence the anxiety.

I joke you have as good an experience as we did.
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Thank you for your comments. I can relate to all of you. I spent the majority of last summer taking my mom to doctor's appointments. All of them would say come back in 3 months, and send her on her way. About 8 weeks ago she went to the ER, ended up in the hospital, skilled nursing, and now AL. This after a summer of endless appointments where her doctors obviously weren't staying on top of her health. I feel like the doctor in skilled nursing took more interest in her. He adjusted her medications, and reduced some of them. I feel she would get more personalized care by the physician at AL. Thanks for your help in my decision.
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