Her apartment door may be the easy part. The lobby door, the side entrance, the garage gate, and the elevator are the steps a visitor reaches first. Before you set any plan, walk the route a helper would take from the street to her door, and note each lock or keypad, whether it needs a fob, a code, or a staff member, and whether it works after hours. A front desk that closes at night changes what is possible on a weekend more than any detail inside her unit.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Find out who has a key or fob
Ask the management office how keys and fobs are issued, whether a second fob can go to someone not on the lease, and whether the office keeps a spare key on file. Some buildings require a written authorization from the resident before releasing a key to anyone else. Ask what that authorization looks like and whether it must be signed in person at the office.
Learn how the elevator and shared areas fail
When an elevator is out, the building posts a notice and the stairs become the only route. Ask who calls the elevator company, how the building notifies residents, and whether there is an after-hours maintenance number. Ask the same about the laundry room, trash area, and mail room. If your parent depends on any shared area, you need to know what happens when that area is closed.
Read the rules for guests and contractors
Many condo associations and apartment buildings have rules about guests, sign-ins, moving trucks, and contractors. Ask which visitors must sign in, whether a helper must be on an approved list, and whether there are hours when work is not allowed. These rules decide whether a neighbor, friend, or hired person can enter on short notice.
Name the people the building will call
Ask whether the office keeps an emergency contact for her and whether you can be added. Ask what staff do if they cannot reach her during a scheduled building event, and whether they will call you. Get the office hours, the after-hours number, and the name of the person who answers the phone.
For a starting list of local options that can work alongside a building, see the local help page for a St. Louis parent.
Tonight
Call the management office and ask three things: the after-hours number, the process for adding a visitor to the building's approved list, and whether an emergency contact is on her account. Write down the answers and the name of the person you spoke with.
What to leave with the doctor
If any building route depends on stairs or a long hallway walk, bring the doctor a short description of it, including the number of steps and whether there are rails. Ask whether any limit on stairs or walking should apply, and ask the doctor to note the answer. Building rules rarely change for one resident, so the plan usually has to fit the building as it is.