What experience do you have with a loved one who is struggling with the transition to a Memory Care facility?
We moved my 83 year old dad to a Memory Care facility 5 days ago. He’s refusing to take his meds and has become aggressive. This morning, the facility called the squad and had him taken to the local hospital. What are your experiences with this?
Why did they take him to the hospital? Was he being super aggressive?
I would think that anyone going into MC (or actually ANY facility that they are not happy about!) should have a psych consult prior to admission. I had to tell mother last week that if she continues to be immobile and push to be in a wheelchair, rather than make the effort to WALK (which she can do)...we will have to put her in a NH. She did not take the news well, and did get angry...so when that happens, we will be getting her a psych eval.
A mild sedative may be all he needs, to be taken as needed. Or an antidepressant.
I often wonder how different my mom's life would have been had she treated her crippling depression with the right meds, instead of self medicating with pain pills and barbiturates.
My LO benefitted enormously from being assessed by a geriatric psychiatric specialist who was on the staff at the MC residence.
LO had already been taking an antidepressant, and after doing some standard cognitive and life skills testing, the psychiatrist recommended some changes in her Ed’s that proved very successful in calming LO and lightening her mood. Previous to this intervention, LO was a hostile escape risk.
She’s still seen every 6 months or so. Her Medici on was a major asset to her adjustment.
This process is VERY PAINFUL for both Dad AND FAMILY. Ask the social service person at the residence if there are any other SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS from the staff to help Dad settle in.
If you can request the evaluation while Dad is hospitalized, so much the better.
Placing someone in MC can be a stressful experience for both the LO and the caregiver. The LO might feel a sense of abandonment, confusion as to why they're there, or even where they are. The caregiver may feel guilt in no longer being able to care for their LO, or fear of the unknown- will they get the proper care, how long will they live there, or even how long can we afford this?
Why was the squad called? Was it because of his combativeness or another medical issue? Your dad's behavior is not unusual. After about a week in MC, my wife lost it. She smashed family pictures, tore the thermostat off the wall and damaged the venetian blinds. With the family's OK, she was placed in a psychiatric wing of a hospital to address her aggressiveness. In 12 days she was released and finished out her stay in MC as a pleasant person. That's my story.
Normally I don't subscribe to antipsychotic meds for behavior modification, but it her case it was the answer.
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I would think that anyone going into MC (or actually ANY facility that they are not happy about!) should have a psych consult prior to admission. I had to tell mother last week that if she continues to be immobile and push to be in a wheelchair, rather than make the effort to WALK (which she can do)...we will have to put her in a NH. She did not take the news well, and did get angry...so when that happens, we will be getting her a psych eval.
A mild sedative may be all he needs, to be taken as needed. Or an antidepressant.
I often wonder how different my mom's life would have been had she treated her crippling depression with the right meds, instead of self medicating with pain pills and barbiturates.
My LO benefitted enormously from being assessed by a geriatric psychiatric specialist who was on the staff at the MC residence.
LO had already been taking an antidepressant, and after doing some standard cognitive and life skills testing, the psychiatrist recommended some changes in her Ed’s that proved very successful in calming LO and lightening her mood. Previous to this intervention, LO was a hostile escape risk.
She’s still seen every 6 months or so. Her Medici on was a major asset to her adjustment.
This process is VERY PAINFUL for both Dad AND FAMILY. Ask the social service person at the residence if there are any other SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS from the staff to help Dad settle in.
If you can request the evaluation while Dad is hospitalized, so much the better.
Hoping that you find and install assistance soon.
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Why was the squad called? Was it because of his combativeness or another medical issue? Your dad's behavior is not unusual. After about a week in MC, my wife lost it. She smashed family pictures, tore the thermostat off the wall and damaged the venetian blinds. With the family's OK, she was placed in a psychiatric wing of a hospital to address her aggressiveness. In 12 days she was released and finished out her stay in MC as a pleasant person. That's my story.
Normally I don't subscribe to antipsychotic meds for behavior modification, but it her case it was the answer.