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Lincare Asked February 2018

What symptoms or tests are required for dementia care in a memory care facility?

Mom has a long term history of depression which was controlled until major for past few yrs when we began to reduce her meds to see if dizziness would subside. (OCD, depression and bipolar meds) She also may have not been taking some of meds when subtle symptoms started a year ago. She recently was in psych unit which determined she was exhibiting more attention getting behavioral issues than med imbalance. (conversion disorder) Unfortunately when she was discharged her condition at home was by far worse, with symptoms that didn't exist for yrs. Maybe she didn't take meds in psych unit, she easily finds ways to hide them. Since home, She has pacing anxiety, OCD rituals and delusions hearing voices, very difficult to reason with. Her out patient psych Dr put her back on Seroquel and Remeron, low doses since she is 80lbs. She has slightly improved, but OCD is worse. She was never incontinent and now is, she no longer enjoys coloring, or praying and lost interest in her small routines replaced by OCD rituals. Eyes closed, won't touch things unless hands are covered, hand lotion and kleenex rituals, changing clothes during her night sleep, demands that her drink water is not hot enough. Has very specific orders how she wants things done. Is this a dementia decline? Beginning of AD or should more meds be given for OCD? Yet we know these meds often to upstart will make her even more anxious. She's restless, yet is tired all the time. She had memory tests done recently however she scored fairly well for 88yrs. Would she qualify for memory care facility? and there's the chance that they will reject her admission BC she has depression w delusional, OCD issues?

BarbBrooklyn Feb 2018
Pull up your County website. There is a Department of Aging or something like that there. Every county in the US, by law, has an Area Agency on Aging. Call them up. Tell them you want a needs assessment.

What kind of testing was she scheduled for? Call the office back and make sure they know that you'll take a cancellation appointment.

Lincare Feb 2018
Local area of Agency on Aging? such as? can you further explain? I had appt w Geriatrician last wk who cancelled the day of, for further testing. So disappointed have to wait until April for next available appt. Cant wait that long.... thank you for idea

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Lincare Feb 2018
Yes, we were very disappointed. She seemed ok when leaving bc she was there for 2wks. Dr said her issue was primarily behavioral and that minimal meds if any could treat her fall drop episodes (conversion disorder) She had no behavior therapy in unit, just meds of which two I do not give her upon advice of her out patient psych dr. because she was so restless when she returned home. The good thing we learned is that indeed her fall faint like drop episodes are self induced for attention, and rarely occur anymore. All i need to say when I see she is attempting to faint/fall is ....' here you go, you are about to fall', then she stops. (she would simply easily drop to floor w/o injury. Similar to a child having a temper tantrum on the floor however Mom would act dead. (those episodes were quite a journey of discovery)

BarbBrooklyn Feb 2018
I think you need to get in touch with your local Area Agency on Aging for an assessment of her needs.

Could she possibly return to the psych unit? It doesnt sound like her med adjustment worked very well.

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