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I didn't know what to do so I got my dad. Then mom thought he was trying to kill her. Then the imaginary people were trying to kill her. This was the first episode like this. I stay Monday and Tuesday nights at my parents house because the rehab for the broken hip didn't want to release her to just my dad, so we have someone there all of the time. She finally sat in the chair for awhile. And when she talked about the imaginary dogs instead of someone killing her I asked if she wanted to go to bed. We went straight to bed in the t-shirt she was wearing before anything else could happen. I can't deal with this

The next time she’s like that call EMS to come and bring her to the ER , tell them she’s not herself , maybe UTI or pneumonia .

At the hospital I would speak to a social worker about placement . This is too much to handle at home .

Mom will be likely to have these episodes on and off if she gets UTI’s. And if it turns out it’s not a UTI , then it’s the dementia advancing which also is now too much to handle at home .

Either way , Don’t allow the social worker to talk Dad into bringing her home , you say it’s an “ unsafe discharge “.

Sorry to say but a broken hip often causes a significant decline in someone with dementia, that they do not bounce back from .

The fact that rehab didn’t want to send Mom home without someone there at all times along with Dad is very telling.
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Reply to waytomisery
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Mom needs medication and it’s probably time to consider placing her.
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Reply to LoopyLoo
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Charliana, I'm sorry you are going through this. Must be horrible.

You mentioned your mom has a broken hip. So I suspect your mom recently had anesthesia, that can make dementia worse.

Also sence this is new , check and make sure she doesn't have a UTI. Peoples dementia can get a lot worse if she has a UTI.

Best of luck
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Anxietynacy Jul 17, 2024
You can get test strips for UTIs at the drug store, for at home if that's easier.
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Any chance her cancer has advanced to her brain? Brain mets will cause those same issues.
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Charliana Jul 17, 2024
It is leukemia so I don't think it advances like that.
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Speak to your doctor about anti anxiety medication?
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Reply to Jaeterese
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She was at the doctor yesterday. They sent stuff home to get a sample to test for a uti, so we should know soon if it is a uti. This morning she woke up crying and talking about people with guns, but at least she didn't think I was trying to kill her. I can't keep doing this. I havnt hardly slept for 2 days, I have a full time job to go to when I leave, and I haven't had time to eat a meal since Monday afternoon.
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Anxietynacy Jul 17, 2024
Completely understandable, it sounds like it's time to think about placing mom.

You are doing all you can!

Going through this with my mom. We are fixing one issue when another is is starting. It seems to never end.

That sounds like what is starting to happen with your mom. 🙏
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Her hallucinations and paranoia means she needs to go to the ER now. I don't think I'd even wait for the UTI test strips to come back. Tell the EMS you don't know why she is hallucinating (if you tell them you think she has dementia they may not take her as this is not considered a life-threatening emergency).

Once in the ER make sure the staff knows she is an unsafe discharge -- do not take her back home for any reason because she needs more care now than anyone can give her. Make sure your Dad doesn't go get her, either. She may need to go into the psych ward to see if medications will help calm her. That's what they had to do with my cousin, with early onset ALZ... she wouldn't go to Urgent Care or with the EMS so her son had to pick her up bodily and take her, and she fought him the entire way. She did have a UTI which got treated, but they also kept her in the psych wing until she would comply with taking meds for her paranoia and agitation.

Are you her PoA? If so, bring the paperwork. If she doesn't have an assigned PoA then at the hospital ask to talk to a social worker to see if she can be transitioned directly into a facility. Do not believe them if they pressure you to take her home and "promise" to help you find help once there. This is a bold-faced lie they tell to get people discharged.

I'm so sorry you're going through this incredibly distressing situation!
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They put her on an antidepressant. The first day after going on it, she woke up happy instead of crying. And we have not had a flip out where she thinks everyone is trying to kill her since. She goes in today for a chest Xray and some lab work which I would have thought they should have done the first time she was at the doctor's office.

Unfortunately my aunt who helps on Wednesday night has a swollen disc in her back and is not going to be able to help for awhile. I don't know how long that takes to heal, so I am back to 3 nights a week instead of 2 unless someone can find more help.
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Isthisrealyreal Jul 22, 2024
AND it goes just like that when we keep elders that need 24/7 care at home. People get sick, injured, go on vacation or just get done with it all. Best of luck finding solutions that work for everyone.

So very happy that the doctor gave her something that is working.
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You say nothing about the ages of you parents. I will assume elderly. Broken hip is very serious.

Did the doctor give her anything for the hallucinations? Or is he waiting to see if a UTI is causing it? I saw nothing about Mom having Dementia just the cancer. Chemo does give people "brain fog". Also, people suffer from Hospital delirium too. I think if was 3 weeks in Rehab, I would have some delirium too. I guess the doctor checked for pneumonia too?

If you have PTO time or vacation you may want to take off a few days. No sleep and no food make for a lousy employee.
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waytomisery Jul 17, 2024
Op chose dementia as one of the topics of her question along with broken hip , burn out etc .

But I agree it could be a number of factors causing this . Sounds like that last round of chemo made her very frail , which is not uncommon in causing the beginning of the final decline .

Honestly, it sounds like a total step down due to multiple factors and needs placement .
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I did a quick check and yes, leukemia can metastasize to the brain.
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