So I posted the other day about having trouble with my stepdad refusing to allow my mom to go live in a long-term care facility. My mom ended up in a psych hospital after calling 911 four times in one night because she wanted stepdad out of the house. She accused him of cheating on her and mistreating her. (I don’t think either is true BTW.)
After three days at the psych hospital, they noticed she was slurring her speech and acting “off” and sent her to the hospital to get checked. Today, the hospital let me know the MRI shows a small brain bleed, right cerebral subdermal hematoma. They are performing a second MRI tomorrow to diagnose it as slow, progressing, or “midway.” It’s in the right cerebral area.
The doctor has already explained to my mom that she will need to be discharged to a LTC facility and not back home. LTC facility is what I have wanted since last year, so that’s good, but I’m worried it has to be a different one than the one we were planning on due to the brain bleed.
Anyone here have experience with this condition in their LO with dementia that can help me understand future care?
Let the hospital know which LTC you wish to have her placed in. The nurses at the LTC will review her information and let you know if they feel they cannot meet her needs.
Please talk to the neurologist doctor about what the prognosis could be. Coordinate for neurology follow up for your Mom after she is placed.
This is certainly your opportunity now to see to it there is no question of a return home. Mom should be placed with the help of social workers and discharge planners and Dad needs to be told this is no longer a matter of choice, but a matter of mom now needing not just him, or just him and you and a few caregivers. Mom now needs the help and watching and management of several shifts daily with several people on each shift.
The answer to what deficits your mom is left with cannot be known now for a few weeks of watching what happens with time. I wish you the best. I do hope that a DNR is in place so that if your mom does pass there will not be the insult of attempting to resuscitate her. That would be, in my humble opinion as a nurse, a tragedy for all involved.
I am so sorry you are all going through this.