Clearly you need to use proper reasonable care, and to find out in advance about your friend’s needs and likely behaviours. There is no need for a member of your friend’s family to come with you, but it would be both polite and prudent to check with them first. If you don’t check you look as though you are taking a lot on yourself and perhaps aren’t being responsible. You can ask for their advice on how to go about the outing, eg toileting. Is there any reason why they wouldn’t agree if asked? If they dislike or distrust you, fix that up first because you are on shakier ground if anything goes wrong. If nothing goes wrong you may offend people but that isn’t a legal liability. The problem comes if there is an accident and damage, and people are looking to nail it on you because they are offside anyway.
Yes. Please let the family caregiver know. Very unsettling to walk in and see LO not in their room. Check on diet restrictions and any Mobility limitations. Nice thing to do.
When you talk with your friend's family, ask them how your friend has responded in the past when he was taken out of the care home for a meal and whether he became upset or angry or scared or belligerent or if the family had trouble getting him to return to the care home after the meal. Some people with dementia become scared or frightened when taken from an environment that is familiar to them, such as the care home.
It might be better if you brought in food, maybe from his favorite restaurant, and the two of you have a pleasant meal in one of the facility's private dining rooms or family rooms or at a separate table in the dining room of the nursing unit that he resides in. Check beforehand with the family and the nursing staff to see what types of food he can or cannot eat; and if he needs his food prepared in a special way, such as cut up in tiny pieces, mashed up, pureed; if he drinks using a Sippy Cup, thickener in liquids or ice cream, etc.; has trouble swallowing and has to be supervised by nursing staff while eating; can he feed himself; does he need a divided plate, special silverware with big or weighted handles?
When Mom was in the nursing home, I took KFC chicken and mashed potatoes and we ate in a reserved "Family Dining Room". I had to cut up the chicken into small cubes for her to eat the chicken. For the holidays, I brought decorations such as Thanksgiving turkeys and pumpkins to decorate the table and special place mats.
Please do not be disappointed if your friend cannot leave the facility. Enjoy the time with him at the facility and do activities that the two of you can enjoy together.
What kind of knowledge do you have about this acquaintance’s health needs? What are the dietary restrictions? Regular, ground, puréed, thickened liquids? What are the bathroom habits? Continent? What is the assist level? Fully independent, or 1 or 2 assist? Can he transfer into a car safely? Will be be confused when he returns? Do crowds or noice increase confusion or agitation? There is a lot to think about before assuming responsibility for a person outside of a facility. These are just a few thought starters.
The facility should not allow the friend out of the facility without the POA or guardian's permission. The POA has a right to restrict the LO from leaving the facility with someone other than the POA. So call the family before doing this and have them call the nurses desk to say its OK.
Nice thing to do.
It might be better if you brought in food, maybe from his favorite restaurant, and the two of you have a pleasant meal in one of the facility's private dining rooms or family rooms or at a separate table in the dining room of the nursing unit that he resides in. Check beforehand with the family and the nursing staff to see what types of food he can or cannot eat; and if he needs his food prepared in a special way, such as cut up in tiny pieces, mashed up, pureed; if he drinks using a Sippy Cup, thickener in liquids or ice cream, etc.; has trouble swallowing and has to be supervised by nursing staff while eating; can he feed himself; does he need a divided plate, special silverware with big or weighted handles?
When Mom was in the nursing home, I took KFC chicken and mashed potatoes and we ate in a reserved "Family Dining Room". I had to cut up the chicken into small cubes for her to eat the chicken. For the holidays, I brought decorations such as Thanksgiving turkeys and pumpkins to decorate the table and special place mats.
Please do not be disappointed if your friend cannot leave the facility. Enjoy the time with him at the facility and do activities that the two of you can enjoy together.