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Gingerbrd Asked March 2023

My father was recently admitted to the hospital for kidney failure related to a swollen prostate. In the middle of this, he also had a UTI. Any advice?

All of his life he has had a major problem with anger and some mental issues. It appears these have gotten worse with this hospital visit. He was living on his own, but when I went to visit his place after one week of not being there, it was absolutely disgusting Now I know that UTIs can cause mental issues. However, he is now in the hospital threatening nurses, trying to pull out a catheter, his IV and climb out of the bed. This is not secondhand information obtained by the hospital staff, it is first-hand information from me being there I have requested that they do a mental eval but with his temper and his current behavior I’m not sure they’re going to be able to. I do not think that he is capable of going into a nursing facility without being a danger to himself or others. He is not able to stay on his own as he went on a hunger strike for two weeks, and it seems that it was longer than that because he went from 170 down to 156. I cooked for him and had meal delivery. It was his choice to not eat so he could die. Otherwise, he was in perfect physical health.
My question is, what are my options if there is no nursing facility or hospital will not keep him? I am unable to keep him in my home as it is a small apartment and I work 10 hr days.

MACinCT Mar 2023
He will not transfer anywhere at this time until it is safe to do so. Let the doctors figure it out on how to settle him. They might have to find him a psych bed. Try to stay calm. There is not much we or you can do.

JoAnn29 Mar 2023
Your Dad should have known about his enlarged prostrate. They have a hard time peeing. Mental problems with UTIs clear up when the UTI does. He is going to have this problem until they remove his prostrate. Do not allow them to talk him into other procedures. My husband allowed his urologist to talk him into lazar treatments and his PCP said he should have just allowed it to be taken out. Once his prostate is removed the UTI problem should go away.

His UTIs are caused by not being able to void completely. I would not do an eval until his UTI is cleared up. At this point say you cannot care for him and to send him home would be unsafe.

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sp19690 Mar 2023
Whatever you do do not take him into your home. not even for one night.

AlvaDeer Mar 2023
Start with all this information and all these questions with Social Services. Let nursing and MD staff at hospital know this is an emergency and you are likely to need eval, assessment, perhaps emergency temporary guardianship for placement if Dad doesn't move to SNF or Rehab, which he may not. Tell then he is alone and cannot return to his living conditions. Whatever you do do not take him into your own home, even temporarily.
So ask for emergency meeting with Social Services to begin safe evaluation and discharge planning. I don't know, with his history, that this will clear up with treatment of UTI; sounds as tho there have been issues prior to this.
Also, you mention kidney failure. I think this may be cleared with treatment, but you may be looking at decisions to make as next of kin if Dad cannot make them. I mean decisions about dialysis versus hospice. If you are not currently the POA you will perhaps need emergency powers to act in your Dad's best interests.
I am so sorry. It sounds as though this has come down on you like a ton of bricks. Do get those Social Workers involved ASAP. They are your current lifeline. I hope you will update us how things go and I wish you the very very best.

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