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My father in law has suffered a stroke and is very ill as he also suffers from a weak irregular heartbeat....he is very sick.
His memory is bad as the damage has caused him some short term memory loss. Every night the nurses say he is being very difficult so they let him call his son over and over demanding to be picked up so he can 'get out of there and get some food!!!'
The son is not handling it well as he is stressed out.
Should the hospital to have some alternate method for Calming my father in law?

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You know what I would do, I would take my dad something to eat that he likes, sit on the hospital bed with him as he eats. I'd look him in the eye and talk to him. I'd tell him, 'I know this stinks dad, I know you want to go home, but you CAN'T. Just as soon as you can, I will tell you.' I think it's funny that the dad says he wants to get out of the hospital and 'eat something' which is why I would bring him his favorite food (if at all possible) to start the conversation.
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In my opinion, no, the hospital really can't forbid a paying client from exercising his right to make a call. Whether or not the call is answered, though, is another story. Is the son close enough to visit daily? A visit, with a loving reassurance given with touch (I find my Dementia clients "hear" me better when I touch them), may help calm him. Leave a note by the phone. "Dad, I know you'd like to call me. I am out this evening but we will talk tomorrow" That way, the hospital worker can simply read the son's message with your father in law, rather than forbid him to call. It's up to the son, then, to not answer the phone if it rings. Just an idea.
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