Hi everyone! I have posted on here before and I always appreciate the remarks. I will try to do a quick run down of ongoing issues with my Mom. My Mom is 80, and until about a year and a half ago, she was very very active, did things that I couldn't even keep up with, my father who was 80, looked 60, acted 40, died unexpectedly last August. Mom broke a hip 3 weeks later, went to rehab, and we knew (my sibling and I) that she would not be able to go back to their home of 45 years. We moved her to assisted living that was beautiful and even though we knew she couldn't go back home, we played it up that she was rehabbing there It worked for a few months and then she started in on going home And at that time, we couldn't have stopped her She did get used to the facility eventually. She then in Feb was getting low blood oxygen levels on to the hospital only to find out she has COPD and emphysema and congestive heart failure she is now on full time oxygen which she uses very well plus the walker Mom is 94 pounds never has weighed over 105. She has slowly gone down hill one minute she loves the place, next she still thinks she can go home. About a month ago the first place we wanted her to go to, opened up and she moved in there 3 weeks ago. Very safely The facility is great although the isolation in her room alone is really really getting to her. She had a terrible UTI a few weeks ago it was cleared up she is on a standing order for urine testing She has been hallucinating will call me 5-10 times a day, to talk. I get it she is bored to death She calls and is so confused most of the time as to where she is she has called this facility a hotel a nursing home, etc. She one minute can't wait to meet people there (since she moved in she has been quarantined pretty much 24-7. They did have a little ice cream social last week for 30 minutes she was able to attend (with masks and social distancing). We sold their home of 45 years in less than a day and of course she realized it that it needed to be sold. Closed last week. She has asked me multiple times where her furniture is in the house (4 Grandkids took the majority of it) where her clothes are etc. She always gets it after a minute or so, and always says "she is sorry and she is losing it." She has even called me after a nap, asking me where my Dad is, and again, she realizes it on her own that he is gone. I apologize for the lengthy post but here is the kicker. I got a call earlier this week (I am the POA) from a detective in their town who told me that the previous facility she was at were drugging some of the residents there with methadone and amphetimines. I was sick. They had 3 of the residents test positive and 1 has been in the hospital since. They took a urine test and a hair test from Mom, urine came back negative hair will take another week or so The time frame for this happening and her leaving is close, but maybe a week. Talking with the nurses there about this I know it takes a while for the drug to get out of your system and even though Moms time frame is a week or so from when they found out about the drugging at the other place, it could still be a possibility that she is withdrawing from the Methadone and that could be contributing to her over night wackiness. Adding all that up the shock of Dad the hip the move to one place only to move to another place not being social at the new place she hasn't met hardly anyone there at all. Now the UTI and the possibility of the drugging, this could possibly be a reason for the over night crazy town talking or at least I am hoping She is taking a lot of meds I think, and I have discussed with the nurses there, she is on Lexapro 20 mg Buspar? 3 times a day to even out her moods? small dose of Aricept and the former facility put her on Cymbalta for her depression which she was going through again I think some of it could be the isolation 4 months, Mom has also never been diagnosed with dementia I would love to get her to a neuro thanks!
Now, take a minute to think of when mom doesn’t seem herself...what time of day is it usually? My mom broke her hip on her 75th birthday, just last month. She did as your mom...constant phone calls, not remembering, confusion, etc. A CNA told me it could be “sundowners” or “sun downing”. It could also be “post-op memory loss”. POML could/should go away, usually within a year or so. Can also be permanent. Read up on both and see if either might fit your situation as well. Prayers that your mother was not a victim of the drugging!
I am of the opinion that many elderly are over-medicated which can cause negative side-effects. I keep my Mom on medications that are needed only (i.e.: blood pressure meds, thyroid, etc.) because of the side effects.
I also give my Mom D-Mannose (a natural supplement) every day to help prevent UTI's.
Wishing you and your Mom the best,
Jenna
Sounds like you are going through a lot. Of course I can't presume to know for sure while you are awaiting drug testing results, but since the urine test was negative for drugs, I would focus on the UTI. UTIs are very behaviorally symptomatic in the elderly- it could explain the confusion, moods, and the hallucinations. Making sure the UTI is treated properly would be my first priority.
So many posts right now about the destructive effects of this isolation. So sad, and it doesn't seem that anyone has a solution in sight. All I can do in that regard is say that I'm sorry for what you're going through.