Should we bring my 93-year-old dad with Alzheimer's from rehab back to his own apartment or take him to the nursing home?

Another major cause of agitation is pain, especially in someone who finds it hard to express himself (or isn't closely listened to) and especially in someone whose mobility and skin integrity have been subjected to a prolonged hospital then nursing facility stay.

Next time you get the opportunity, do (or ask someone to do) a full skin assessment - from the back of his head down to his heels and the tops of his toes. You can find charts online which will tell you the key body areas to look at, just Google "skin integrity assessment."

So how might this factor into the pros and cons of private care at home versus admission to a skilled nursing facility?

Pro: in a Skilled Nursing Facility, he would be regularly examined as part of his daily care routine.
Con: he's just left a Skilled Nursing Facility.

If the hitting out and cursing happen mainly when people are moving him, please look for an explanation as well as seeking treatment for his agitation.

Pros of a nursing home is that you know that he will be safe. Of course there are some bad ones but if you find the right one, you know your father will be safe. My mothers nursing home has many different activities, none of which she would be able to do if she was living with a care assistance. She has 24 hour care, which she needs, which wouldn't be affordable if living at home. You will also have a life without the stress of wondering what is happening at his home.

Cons of a nursing home is that there are some bad ones. They are also incredibly expensive if you are self-paying. There are other residents who may not be your fathers "type" and agitate him. I also think many people will feel an incredible amount of guilt when they have to place their LO which can cause stress.

One thing I would say is that it may not be what your Dad wants but what he needs.

Safety is the major pro,and I don't believe your father would be safe at home alone at this point, do you?

More info would be helpful but even if he's just at the beginning of dementia and short-term memory loss, his care will very quickly become overwhelming as family attempts to orbit around his increasing needs.

Does anyone have PoA for your father? If so, this is the person who now needs to review the documents to see exactly what authority they have and when it is active. The MPoA will be the one to make the care decision and the FPoA will be assessing what he can afford, as they manage his affairs.

If your father is in rehab, this is a "golden" opportunity to have him go directly to a permanent facility. He needs to be assessed to decide if he needs MC or LTC. LTC is what Medicaid will cover (plus his SS income) in most states. I would ask to talk to the Nursing facility's social worker to get guidance about how to make this happen.

If no one is his PoA, the county can become his guardian and they will manage all his affairs and find an appropriate facility for him where he will be safe and cared for. At 92, it will be much easier for him to get the medical care he needs in a facility, and he will have much more social exposure as opposed to being cloistered in a home with a single family caregiver.

His agitation may be part of his dementia, and he may need meds to help get him to a calm state since he's no longer able to do that on his own. Or, the agitation may mean that the UTI is not actually resolved.