I went to visit my mother today & noticed she had a diaper which Velcro’s over each hip AND a pull up. Should I be concerned of double diapering so they don’t change her as often or is this a special trick I am unaware of?
Any lazy tasks I should be on the look out for? Moms been there for a week & we’ve had a few hiccups.
Any experience or tips to look for I would appreciate it!!
This is done to make it harder for the incontinent person with dementia get into their diaper and access the contents.
It is not a "lazy task". It is a trick CNA's and caregivers (including myself for almost 25 years) use with our demented incontinent clients that saves us from having to scrape sh*t off of walls, floors, wheelchairs, and from under fingernails. Thank-you.
The double diaper? I would say Mom takes off her diaper so they put a pull up on over it. Can't see how a pull up would help with leaks when the other one is plastic on the outside? Maybe it does?
Always ask. Mom is not going to get one on one care. Aides have more than one resident. Mornings are the worst. Getting residents up, toileted and dressed so they can be ready for breakfast. They need to bath these people sometime during the day. They may also have other duties than just caring for residents. I found my Mom always clean and cared for. I have found aides sitting and talking to her. Oh her hair. She wore it short and brushed back. It was parted on the wrong side. Combed straight down. I ended up carrying a brush and small bottle of hair spray and doing her hair when I got there.
My brother said I was my own worst enemy and he was right. But I figured Mom had Dementia and she could look nice and her clothes match. I had to realize that she was being cared for, fed and warm. The Nurses and aides were caring, my Mom was fairly easy.
There is always so much to do and always not enough staff to do it. I'd be surprised if there weren't some hiccups.
Good luck.
Then there is this. Family that visits is gold. The staff is AWARE you care and are there. You see life as it is because you are there, so you are already ahead of this game.
Now to know also, if you have dealt with adult incontinence supplies yourself you are aware that things go unpredictable. There are diuretics and the hour they are given. Can mean a flood coming in the early hours, less later. And there is often upholsterery in the common areas, rugs on floors, etc. So this may be a matter of leak prevention above anything else.
I would ask, myself. And I would ask gently. I would say "I sure do know the problems with leakage, but I was wondering if you can explain to me your extra precautions in Mom's case".
Take the occ. box of candy, box of donuts, fruit plate. I shows appreciation. Will make you loved and appreciated instead of dreaded.
Was a nurse all my life. Know more than I wish I did. It would be lovely if everyone was good and willing all on their own. But I remember saying I would read tarot for anyone who wanted it (just for fun) at end of shift if we all got our work done, and my rounds showed happy snugged in patients. Worked like a charm. It's the bees with honey thing. And it's worth a try as the first line of defense. With everything in life it comes down to the hills we will be willing to die on. Takes a lot of thought.
It is dreadfully hard to give our elders over to the care of others. I was sooooo thankful for the Assisted Living folks who cared for my brother. I saw their kindness every day. It matter greatly to the administration that those they hired saw this as a blessing and a privilege to care for others. That's rare. I hope you lucked out into such a place also, hope you'll update us on adjustment.
When my husband was getting monthly IVIG infusions, 4 days in a row each month for 3 years, I always made sure I sent a little something in for the staff; some home baked cookies, brownies, a loaf of bread. Just a little something to say thank you. There were times there would be over a dozen people in the infusion center and only 2 nurses to take care of everything. I would watch them run back and forth from bay to bay clearing lines, getting patients something to eat or drink, bring blankets and pillows, disconnecting and re-connecting lines for patients to be able to go to the bathroom, etc. And that was "just" an infusion center. I know it's far more complicated in a facility, be it a care facility or a hospital.
I hope the OP takes your words to heart and treats her mom's care team as partners rather than just employees. It will make things so much easier for everyone involved, most especially mom.