So my grandmother has been in this one nursing home for almost 4 years.
They call us like every other day and say stuff like my grandma is screaming and keeping everyone up all night. They said she was stealing things from other residents, (I don't believe because she is bed ridden. She can't even get herself into her wheelchair). They said she is becoming very combative with staff and other residents verbally and physically. (Which is very unlike my grandma. I've never even heard her get mad and yell at someone.)
The home called and told me she didn't have any money in her account (to buy snacks, go on outtings to food places) I said I was just there and put $50 on her account. They said she was giving her money to the other residents. But then I went in and sat down with her and asked who she was giving her money to, and she said "Oh, the fellow that cleans our room needed some money for something, so I let him have it."
Oh but the home says she's giving it to residents... Not that there's a guy that cleans who's begging them all for money.
I was and I am still pissed about that. They have an employee bumming money off the residents.
Last week they called me wanting to put a feeding tube in her because she was losing weight and wouldn't eat. But they called me two days later and said they gave her iv fluids and oh she really perked up and she's doing so good.
They put her on Zoloft for depression (I also take it, so I know ALOT about it) not even two weeks later they took hey off the Zoloft and put her on something else because they claimed it wasn't working. Zoloft needs to build up in your freaking system. Two weeks was not a long enough time for her to be on it to show results! These people, like what the heck?
One day she's on her death bed, the next she's so good and fabulous. It's just hard. I don't know what to believe.
Does stuff like like this happen to anybody else??
I feel like I'm going crazy with how much they call me.
I think its also time to get the DON and Administrator together for a meeting. First, no constant calls. Its their job to handle anything that comes up and deal with it. The only calls you want are what the State requires. She fell, sending her to the hospital, fell out of bed, etc. The DON is in charge of the staff.
If this is new behaviour, your grandma could be entering another stage of her Dementia. Personally, I would want her seen by a neurologist to determine what medication she should be on and then consult with the facilities doctor. The doctor associated with the facility is the only one who can prescribe and take away. I agree that 2 weeks is not long enough to see if a med works. The only reason to stop it would be a adverse reaction to it. Her screaming at night could be caused by night terrors. Her being combatant could be a UTI, have them check for it.
I agree, I don't see why the NH would make things up. So, go into this meeting with the attitude things have changed with grandma. Her Dementia will worsen as the brain dies. If she has been stable for 4 yrs you are lucky.