My brother, age 65, is mentally ill with psychosis, paranoia, depression. I’m looking for a place he can live. Anyone deal with this?
The convalescent home he’s at is looking for a place for him to live. Should I find a professional placement person? Which places take a mentally ill person with a schizophrenic diagnosis? he refuses to get more help, specifically ECT.
The convalescent home he's in has their own social workers. Ask if they can give you any help or at least put you in touch with a state social worker who can help with housing. I'm going to assume that your brother is on disability and Medicaid. The quality of his treatment and housing only goes as far as his insurance and disability benefit can get. How sad it is that a person with severe mental illness is almost always refused the services of an actual behaviorist. These were psychiatrists who did actual psycho-analysis of a patient and could get to the root of their issues. Many types of mental illness can be managed well through environment as opposed to meds. Some can't. Unfortunately suffering patients don't get the option of finding out. As for your brother. Does he see an actual psychiatrist doctor regularly? I would say if he does try to convince him to let you go with him to an appointment and talk to the doctor. They might be able to help with some resources too.
I wouldn't give my worst enemy ECT. It is cruel, violent and doesn't do any good for any length of time.
We can't even legally do that crap to prisoners of war for interrogation. Think about that.
He should be assigned a social worker that helps him find housing, jobs, other resources. Tell the rehab to get his social worker involved and doing their job.
As difficult as it is, sometimes we need to step back so the system in place does what it is there for. Family involvement is always seen as an easy solution, dump them on family and make it their problem. You stepping back will get the professionals motivated to help him.
Do you have Guardianship for your brother? If so, yes you could engage a professional placement person - hopefully make this task much easier.
However if your brother is in charge of his own affairs, he could be assisted by this person or a social/advocacy service directly.
Trying to find housing but lacking the authority can be a bus to nowhere land. I took that ride. Eventually I got off that bus...
I did get a good tour, including a lot of knowledge from professionals.
Dr told me something like 75% of Sz patients have 'anosognosia' (lack of insight) where the brain cannot know there is a problem. It differs from denial apparently. People do not recognise their illness so won't accept treatment for it. Is this your brother's situation?
I suppose ECT treatment would be considered 'burdonsome' & many wouldn't want it even if their Dr recommends & all other treatments have failed. (I have heard it can help with long-term depression when meds don't). Sadly there is no cure for Sz - but symptoms can stay managed when the right meds are found. The side effects are often awful though.
Thank you, Betty for the response. I appreciate it. I don’t have conservatorship/guardianship. It’s something I think about, but it is difficult to get here and it would be hard with him very paranoid of me. But it could be what happens. So, he can choose where to live. I’m worried he will decline all the homes he is offered by the people working with him now. I believe the recent diagnosis of Sz may not be accurate because he’s had serious mental issues for almost ten years and wasn’t given this one until recently. Mostly it’s been psychosis and depression. ECT would almost certainly help. He just won’t do it. I wouldn’t like to have it either, if I were in his shoes, but it really would very probably be worth it. Yes, he does not self recognize. That’s what his psychiatrist said. He punched me the last time I saw him, a few years ago, so I won’t see him. Again, thank you for your response. And happy Thanksgiving!
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I'm going to assume that your brother is on disability and Medicaid.
The quality of his treatment and housing only goes as far as his insurance and disability benefit can get.
How sad it is that a person with severe mental illness is almost always refused the services of an actual behaviorist. These were psychiatrists who did actual psycho-analysis of a patient and could get to the root of their issues. Many types of mental illness can be managed well through environment as opposed to meds. Some can't. Unfortunately suffering patients don't get the option of finding out.
As for your brother. Does he see an actual psychiatrist doctor regularly? I would say if he does try to convince him to let you go with him to an appointment and talk to the doctor. They might be able to help with some resources too.
We can't even legally do that crap to prisoners of war for interrogation. Think about that.
He should be assigned a social worker that helps him find housing, jobs, other resources. Tell the rehab to get his social worker involved and doing their job.
As difficult as it is, sometimes we need to step back so the system in place does what it is there for. Family involvement is always seen as an easy solution, dump them on family and make it their problem. You stepping back will get the professionals motivated to help him.
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However if your brother is in charge of his own affairs, he could be assisted by this person or a social/advocacy service directly.
Trying to find housing but lacking the authority can be a bus to nowhere land. I took that ride. Eventually I got off that bus...
I did get a good tour, including a lot of knowledge from professionals.
Dr told me something like 75% of Sz patients have 'anosognosia' (lack of insight) where the brain cannot know there is a problem. It differs from denial apparently. People do not recognise their illness so won't accept treatment for it. Is this your brother's situation?
I suppose ECT treatment would be considered 'burdonsome' & many wouldn't want it even if their Dr recommends & all other treatments have failed. (I have heard it can help with long-term depression when meds don't). Sadly there is no cure for Sz - but symptoms can stay managed when the right meds are found. The side effects are often awful though.
I believe the recent diagnosis of Sz may not be accurate because he’s had serious mental issues for almost ten years and wasn’t given this one until recently. Mostly it’s been psychosis and depression. ECT would almost certainly help. He just won’t do it. I wouldn’t like to have it either, if I were in his shoes, but it really would very probably be worth it. Yes, he does not self recognize. That’s what his psychiatrist said.
He punched me the last time I saw him, a few years ago, so I won’t see him. Again, thank you for your response. And happy Thanksgiving!