I had to admit my 85y/o mother to a gp unit Sunday night after 2 weeks of hallucinations (hearing voices) & a treated uti. Idk what’s next... she has been living at home but her dementia is progressing so quickly. Her pcp doesn’t think so bc she only talks with her for 5 min but she is declining quickly and I see it. My other 2 siblings and I have been administering all her meds and insulin for the past 2 years daily and she doesn’t have a sitter, home health etc. If the geriatric psych unit doesn’t have any answers than am I ever going to get any help?
We had to specifically request that this be done, also because we weren’t totally SURE what LO needed. If I hadn’t received help on that first attempt, I would have LO assessed by a second examiner. You can also request an OT evaluation that should give you some sense of what she can do on her own and what she should be receiving help with.
When my LO’s assessment was done, the psychiatrist came out and had a conference with me to get a full picture of LO’s deficits and strengths in relation to what she had determined in the test.
I hope you will find out the best way(s) to help her, moving forward.
I just got off the phone with her care plan team as she is currently on day 3 at a Geri psych unit. They started her on seraquel and they think she is progressing and doing better but Idk bc of course I can’t visit.
I feel like nothing will be done until she can’t remember how to feed herself dress herself or use the bathroom.
My fear is that she still knows enough to talk them into thinking she is ok:( and I know she isn’t. I have a temporary surrogacy but there isn’t official POA papers :( I know I should have done that a long time ago.
You and siblings have big decisions to make. If you leave Mom in her home she will need 24/7 care and who is going to do it. I hope someone has POA because I don't think Mom is now competent to assign one. Mom can no longer may informed decisions. If she can't afford in home help and you and siblings can't help 24/7 then ur looking at LTC in a facility with Medicaid helping to pay for her care. Her SS and any pension she receives going to her care.
With PoA you can either hire in-home help from an agency or decide to start interviewing facilities for AL. Please consider that her UTI may not have cleared up since you mention how quickly she is declining. She does not sound like she can be "independent" at home anymore. She hasn't been for the past 2 years as family has been orbiting around her. The gp unit/doctors can only go by what they see and what she tells them. That's why someone has to be in the appointment with her. In the end it is the PoA/family that decides when and how to intercede for mom to work in her best interests to protect her. If no one has PoA and your mom is not cooperative, this is a separate issue. Please provide this extra information.