90 year old dad's in his second week in rehab after a fall and a short stay in hospital. I live a couple of states away. Dad's a binge drinker/alcoholic and when he was admitted put on librium (and thiamine) to help with expected alcohol withdrawal. At the time, I didn't question anything - but two weeks later, after having extreme difficulty getting him on the phone and after days of unsuccessfully finding ANYONE who could provide me an update on his status I drove down here, and seeing him in person is shocking - my formerly lucid and completely dementia-free Dad is gaga and out of it. I have insisted that he be taken off this drug and have learned that it's addictive - he will be weaned off it over the next week. I've learned that an alcohol detox is 5-7 days, and there is no reason he should have been medicated for this long. Clearly I'm raging, but also concerned as I need to know if he will return to "normal" once the drug wears off or if there's another reason for this brain fog. I need to make decisions on his behalf about where he will live on release, at home with an aide or in assisted living - and until I find out of there's any other cause (he was tested for everything under the sun at the hospital and did not have a stroke or any head injury). I feel like my hands are tied. This is a vent but also a question - his equally elderly but clear headed friends tell me this is simply what rehabs are like - understaffed and chaotic. But the overdosage seems like gross negligence. Has anyone had a similar experience? I'm afraid of what will happen once I go home. Apart from this chaos, the staff seems kind and caring, the facility clean, the food looks pretty awesome, and the other residents seem nice enough. I'm throwing this mess of a question out there as this community has been so helpful and supportive - thank you.
I'm so sorry for the shock you've had, it must be miserable. So you were regularly in touch before this most recent fall, and he seemed fine and doing well? Were you able to visit him in person?
I'm bearing in mind the totally coherent and cheerful conversation one of our clients was having with myself and the paramedics while we got him off the footstool where he'd managed to lay himself out like a beetle on its back and couldn't get up again, stark naked and maybe three feet away from a lit gas fire, and I couldn't get him up unaided. He told us jokes, assured us all was well, was sweetly appreciative of everybody's help, and was still talking to us about his mysterious mishap (stone me! - how did that happen?) while he walked confidently to the corner of the room and began to urinate. I won't describe the state of his house because it would disgust and depress you; and besides I came to like this gentleman enormously and wouldn't want anyone not to. All he wants is to be loved and sing Irish folk songs - and there again, as another example of unimpaired function, he had no difficulty using Alexa to play his favourites.
I hope he's okay, I haven't seen him for a few weeks now. He won't stay in rehab because they don't let him drink (he cites other reasons, of course), he is competent to make this decision, and sadly it's getting too late for him anyway.
The point of mentioning him, though, is as an example of quite how normal someone can appear in certain respects while being in fact very ill indeed.
Back to the librium - what has the facility had to say for itself about not checking the duration of the px on discharge from hospital?
This is so sad to read. I can tell you that without a doubt that many facilities are understaffed.
My mom went to rehab. She had Parkinson’s disease. The occupational therapy and physical therapy staff is terrific at the nursing home where my mom went. The aides were hit or miss. The same with the nurses. The DON and social worker were wonderful.
Mom was purposely given a double dose of her Parkinson’s meds because the LPN told my mom that she wanted to save time by not having to return back to her room for her final dose of her medication. My mom asked if it would hurt her to double up. She told mom that it would not hurt her. Mom took the double dose but was concerned.
The next day when I went to visit, mom told me about the incident. I was upset that this incident occurred. I called our pharmacy to see if mom was in any danger. The pharmacist said that she wasn’t in danger if it only happened one time but it would not be good if it happened several times. The pharmacist told me to report it, because if this LPN was doing this to mom, chances were that she was doing it to other patients as well. So, I reported it to the DON and the social worker. The nurse confessed that she gave mom a double dose and she was written up.
My mom did regain strength by participating in rehab. Unfortunately, occasionally disturbing incidents occur. I am glad that you are speaking up on your father’s behalf. He is blessed to have you in his corner.
My mom was hesitant to tell me what happened. She was afraid that the LPN would retaliate against her for being reported. I explained this to the DON. The DON told me that this LPN would be instructed not to enter mom’s room.
My mom recently died at the age of 95 in a hospice house. Hospice care was wonderful.
Wishing you and your dad all the best.
Will he recover completely? Unlikely. This is one of those roller coaster rides where you never quite know what's over the next hill, but one thing you can pretty much count on is that he'll never quite return to the place where he started.