Mom had it in her mind that a new aide was hurting residents at her care facility. She left the facility to try to find help - twice. The first time the aide was able to get her inside and into her room. While I was on the phone with caregiver, mom left the facility again. She is in a small home with a total of 8 residents. The home cannot be locked due to fire regulations. While the aide was attending to mom the first time, the other residents were left alone for more than 15 minutes. During her second escape, she fell (she went out both times without walker) and hit her head on the driveway. At that point, because she had a goosehead on her head and because she wouldn't come in, they had to call paramedics. Besides the head injury, her bp was also elevated. Because of the nature of the call - and because this is her third/fourth escape they had to psych 302 her because she is a danger to herself and others. My question is this - what are my options now? Has anyone experienced this? I'm afraid she's going to be leaving a lovely, home setting with people who love her and end up in a psych ward doped up on meds. Where do I turn? Right now I'm waiting for hospital to call me with update after initial workup. Thanks!
If your mother needs to be admitted for observation at the hospital and seen by the geriatric psychiatrist, so be it. They'll get things sorted out so she doesn't continue on with these delusions she's having where she feels the need to escape and run away. That's the main thing: getting her to a better place of calmness with her disease so she's feeling relaxed again. If they're able to calm her down, she should be able to go back to the care facility again. Although I wouldn't repeat that scenario again if this were my mother. The goal is to keep her safe and make it impossible for her TO escape, and her current facility cannot provide her with that. Safety is the #1 goal for dementia patients, then comes keeping them calm.
The social worker at the hospital can probably help you by recommending a good Memory Care ALF for mom. My mom's place only had 23 residents, so each was able to get quite a bit of personalized attention. She was always treated with love and respect, I will tell you that. She lived there for just under 3 years, and I was very happy with the care she received there.
I know how hard all this is; dementia is a cruel and relentless condition for all concerned to deal with. I sincerely hope the hospital can find the right meds for your mom so she can feel relaxed and calm as a result. Nobody should have to live in fear and feel the need to 'escape' their home because of delusions due to dementia.
BEST OF LUCK!
I'm so sorry you're going through this.
Once in Memory Care it such a relief. Dad had free range of the building, but he couldn't go outside without someone being with him. The front door to the building was always locked and a front desk person would buzz a person who wanted to come in. At night, the elevator would be locked at 7pm so the residents on the Memory Care floor couldn't get to the others levels. Dad accepted this new arrangement thus he didn't need added medicine.