My Mother, who has dementia, hit her roommate. Can the roommate's family bring charges against us?

I should have thought that if the roommate's family feels aggrieved (and I certainly would!) they'll be after the facility, rather than the family of a resident with dementia. What kind of facility is it? It is up to them to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their residents. In fact, that's kind of what they're for. Is she in the right place?

Who saw that your mother had hit the roommate? Or was it the roommate who made that comment to staff or her relatives later? Does the roommate have memory issues herself? As we all have read here on the forms, patients with dementia are known to become story tellers about things that never happened.

More info is needed about the incident.

Was the roommate injured? Was she upset - this sounds like a stupid question but the woman might have responded in any way ranging from tears to screams. And sometimes just the perception of begin assaulted is enough to induce fear that leads to screams.

Who if anyone witnessed the event, and/or how was it reported?

I'm thinking that a 93 year old woman doesn't have too much strength, but if there were objects used to hit the other woman that could increase the force of the blow.

Generally I don't know about liability issues in that kind of setting but I'm thinking that if the family of the other woman is upset, they would look toward the nursing home for allegedly failing to provide adequate supervision, that sort of thing.

I would, however, read all the application/admission papers to see if any liability issues like this are addressed.

I would approach the nursing home pre-emptively, assuring them that you're concerned and concerned about the woman's welfare and her family's concern. And ask what can be done to prevent this in the future. It could range from a room change to just keeping the two of them apart.

I really think we need more information to give a meaningful response.

Who told you about this incident?

What action has the facility taken?

Are you you mother's guardian?

Have you refused proposed treatments that have been recommended for her?

Who at the facility is communicsting with you sbout your mom's behavior.?

Thank you all for your input. I was informed by the head nurse of this incident. Mom was hallucinating that her roommate was a man. For some reason, perhaps some incident in her past I am not aware of, she has a phobia regarding men. She is also obsessed with sex and is convinced the facility is a front for a brothel. She is currently on the wait list for the Alzheimer's lock down unit. I have never had any issues with her care at this facility. Any issues regarding my mom are her fault and not their's. She has always been a very negative person and always a drama queen. She has never seen the positive in any situation. I have dealt with this all my life. I could not bring her into my home for fear she'd accuse my husband of molesting her. I wont move her to a new facility because, quite, frankly, she is not happy anywhere. The nurse assured me that her roommate was not harmed.

That's so sad! Has the geripsych recommended any medications to combat the delusions, or antianxiety meds to calm her?

Mom has a habit of refusing her medicatiins. They can't force them on her. She thinks they are trying to drug her. 😕

I can't imagine a place that would put an unrelated man and woman together in a room, especially if the woman has issues about men and sex. You are laying the blame all on your mom, but I think the management of the facility are seriously at fault here!

Sorry, she only THOUGHT her roommate was a man, disregard what I wrote.

sorry - too many "concerned" in that last paragraph.