Aides are being reassigned at home my mom is at. Anyone else see this?

My mom ( vasular dementia) used to become agitated --that's the word for it, not hysterical-- at any proposed change. She's now on lexapro, remeron and klonopin. Much less agitation.

No amount of explaining or reassuring mom helped. Only meds.

Any facility has a good deal of shuffling and turnover. It is hard work and people burn out and seek other employment. I agree with babalou, get her some meds for her anxiety.

Turnover, whether scheduled rotations or because of staff quitting, etc. is a fact of life in care centers of all levels. This can be hard on the residents, but it really cannot be changed. I agree with the suggestion to consider med treatment of agitation.

Mom was in a nursing home for a little over 2 years. We could always tell when there was a significant change in staff -- her teeth wouldn't be in, or she wouldn't have a sweater, or she was wearing someone else's glasses. Then the new people would get used to each resident and things would be stable for a while. It happens. Comfort and reassure your loved one through the changes.

Twocents, I think Pam and I are thinking along the same lines. Also, find out if there is a geriatric psychiatrist or Behavioral Medicine group that comes to he home to do medication management. Geriatric psychs have been a lifesaver for my family.

As difficult as it can be it also has benefits - but usually for the staff. When my mom first moved to a NH there was a sweet young woman who would rub my moms sore hip at night. One night she was too busy to do it and my mom had a fit - then when the staff that was helping out the first gal wouldn't rub my moms hip, all hell broke loose and mom was on the phone to me demanding that I make someone give her "a massage"! So, for a lot of reasons I actually think rotating staff is a good thing but especially to keep the same staff from always having to deal with the higher maintenance residents.

Twocents, I didn't mean to offend in any way by renaming your mom's hysteria/agitation. You might notice that hysteria is named after the uterus--"hyster" as in hysterectomy. In other words, the way women behave when their uteri are out of whack.

By reframing her behavior as agitation, you get to see if as a symptom, perhaps of longstanding mental illness and/or dementia, not something she's working herself into. For a long time, my brother characterized my mother's anxiety as something "she's bringing on herself". It was not. It was a symptom of cognitive decline.

twocents, you have learned excellent coping skills by leaving and depriving her of your audience. Now take it one step further. Just ask the head nurse to see that some proper meds are prescribed for mom. I avoid directors because they know very little about meds.

most of the time mom is pretty good I will have to say. I guess the status quo got shaken up and I guess they get used to routine so it upsets them. the unknown is scary. She was calmer so I'll keep an eye on it.
thanks all

I have also seen how disturbing it is to residents, to have their aides be sent to another floor JUST as they are beginning to learn how to care appropriately for that resident, and the resident (especially those with dementia -- which are the greater percentage) are beginning to feel safe with the aides. The nurses hate it too -- as they are just settling into a workable relationship with the aides. I have seen this in homecare aide agencies as well -- the rotations specifically set up so that the homecare aides don't get attached to their clients. Whether or not there is validity in that, it is extremely confusing (and often distressing) to the client, and means that they (or family) are always 'training' new homecare workers of their specific needs. Aides/homecare people get minimal training, and in so-called 'best practices' -- that often don't meet the needs of that individual resident/client. If you are able to hire homecare, look for agencies that support on-going care by the same small team of homecare workers!!!

When my Mom was in nursing care they moved all the residents to a new bldg. they had built to replace older one. The staff were all non-familiar ones. What with the new place and new aides my poor Mom felt just lost.

Not that I think this will happen to you but my Mom died very shortly after being moved. I'd phone her and she would be crying. I had built the new place up in her mind to make the move easier on her but she never liked it.