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Shaneeda Asked November 27, 2023

How do you put a person in the nursing home who has some lucidity, but lots of dementia, who refuses to go?

He’s 90, won’t sign a POA, doesn’t want to pay for a sitter, nor nursing home. He’s feeble but wants to be waited on hand and foot then complains about everything and everyone. He constantly claims he’s dying and tells my sister and I “ it’s an emergency take me to ER; I don’t feel good.”

AlvaDeer Nov 28, 2023
Geaton's response below is the one I would follow.
Meanwhile, do know that if you are living with him, or he with you, then you are enabling this behavior. Do not accept him back into your car after hospitalization. He is uncooperative and you will not change his mind.
He is 90. Seems he is determined to pass in his own home.
The question now is do you wish to live with him and allow that, or are you unwilling to do so.

Geaton777 Nov 28, 2023
The next time he calls with his "emergency" hang up and send 911 to his house. Show up there and explain he has dementia and is delusional and tell them you suspect a UTI but he's uncooperative. Then, make sure the hospital knows he is an unsafe discharge and that no matter what he tells the staff, you and your sister are NOT his caregivers. Then ask to talk to a social worker to discuss him going directly into a care facility. The county will now need to become his guardian since everyone who isn't being responsible for themselves needs to have a legal representative. Then back away and let the county deal with him. Don't go retrieve him from the hospital or wherever. Just tell him therapeutic fibs like, "The doctor now decides when you leave, not us because we don't have the legal ability to check you out." Make sure other relatives, friends and family know to NOT go get him or make promises to him.

It will feel very hard at first, then it will get much better once he is somewhere appropriate and social for him, and you and your sister can have peace of mind and your lives back.
AlvaDeer Nov 28, 2023
I am in total and absolute agreement with this plan.
Currently these sisters are enabling his behavior.
They need to make it clear to social services they cannot accept him back into their care if he is living with them; if they are living with HIM, they need to move.

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Fawnby Nov 27, 2023
Don’t take him into your home to care for! He’ll get worse and then you’ll be stuck caring for a crabby mean old man who complains about everything you do.

His care is his problem, not yours.

BarbBrooklyn Nov 27, 2023
Welcome, Shaneeda!

Sadly, you have no "standing" to place your dad.

His health will come to a crisis point, he will fall, or fall ill and end up in the hospital.

Once there, you will talk to the discharge planners and tell them that he lives alone, won't cooperate with getting help and that you are not able or willing to provide hands on care.

They will find placement for him and the NH he is admitted to may well file for guardianship.

There is no faster route to a nursing home bed than lack of cooperation with folks who have your best interests at heart.

Consider telling your dad that the hard choice is between having folks who love you find a placement, or having the state placing him in the first available bed.
Shaneeda Nov 27, 2023
Thank you for your reply.

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