That doesn’t surprise me… I’m a caregiver for my ex husband, he went into a rehab facility after a fall. When he was released he couldn’t walk & was in a diaper…… mind you, he actually walked into the place & had NEVER worn a diaper! Needless to say, it’s a lot more difficult to care for him now as he is slowly going downhill. Plus, I’m now broke!
Tasks to all of you for your great input. Husband was hospitalized for COVID. Although not extremely ill, he was so weak that I could not manage him at home; he was already struggling to walk with walker from weakness-I believe from his heart failure - his parkinson's and his polyneuropathy. This I could never have managed toileting, bed transfers, etc with the added level of care required. He went into the hospital on Oct.
Oh, the dementia is most likely related to the parkinson's and is, right now, mostly confusion. He knows everyone. 16...released for inpatient rehabilitation beginning Oct 20. He is still in rehab. Working with a senior care consultant, I identified 5 possible AL facilities. Touring them even as a write this. We can probably afford about $6K a month if it it includes level 3 care. One of the facilities will be out to interview him today.
What I could use, today, is some idea of how much to allow for his personal hygiene products. He is urinary incontinent. Will probably be put on 2 hr toileting schedule. No idea how many pull-ups and tab briefs he will use daily, wipes, chux? Can any of you give me some guideance?
Thank you. Your collective knowledge is such a wealth of information.
I've heard of similar situations with lots of people who were hospitalized or sick with even mild Covid. There are reputable research studies going on about the problem. Perhaps you should check online and see if there are support groups for caregivers in the trenches that would help you by addressing the downhill slide that happens to so many after Covid. And please let us know if you find any.
Covid is not just a cold. Please, everyone, take steps to ensure that you're not passing Covid to anyone else. None of us want to be in the sad situation that Judy's husband is in right now.
Judy, I wish you luck in learning what you need to know.
My mother had Parkinson’s related anxiety/depression and dementia. She did well with Ativan and Seroquel.
Her Parkinson’s disease became more challenging as she entered the latter stages.
There was a period of time when she was trying to walk out of the front door in the middle of the night. Meds helped tremendously with this. She stopped trying to escape.
My mom did well in rehab. I’m sorry that you are having these issues after rehab.
Each AL has their own criteria for admission of new residents. If dh requires TOO much care or if his dementia is moderate to advanced, hes likely better off in Memory Care Assisted Living where the care is greater, the ratio of caregivers to residents is higher, where the population is smaller, and where he'd get more individualized attention geared towards dementia limitations. AL has more gadgets to get confused by, like temperature controls and microwaves, whereas MC offers a shrunken down world more easily navigated by a cognitively impaired senior. And locked exterior doors so they can't wander outside and get lost. MC should have their own garden sitting and walking area for residents that remains unlocked, so they're safe but able to get fresh air.
Oftentimes hospital delirium DOES improve after the elder is home for awhile. But if dh is going to be evaluated for AL while still in rehab, he'll be evaluated as he is NOW.
I also recommended you speak to his PCP about his depression. My mother was terribly depressed after a hospitalization and Wellbutrin helped tremendously.
If you do place him in AL and he's accepted, make sure it's an AL with memory care facilities he can segue into if/when required. You do not want to move him to a new facility entirely, with dementia it's too disorienting.
What exactly took your husband into the hospital, Judy?
It is not unusual for dementia to worsen considerably with hospitalization. This circumstance usually does improve after some time after return to normal environment, but in some instances it does not.
We don't know your husband, his circumstances financial, mentally or physically, so we would simply be hazarding guesses as to what level of facility he can enter. Dementia usually means that ALF is not longer possible and you may be looking at MC. Facilities, sadly, in our country are dependent on the level of assets the senior can afford.
I wish you a lot of luck. And again, would help if you let us know When hubby was hospitalized What condition caused his hospitalization How long was he hospitalized.
In general, do know that going into care from Hospitalization often is a big help as you have access to the Social Workers in hospital.
Husband was hospitalized for COVID. Although not extremely ill, he was so weak that I could not manage him at home; he was already struggling to walk with walker from weakness-I believe from his heart failure - his parkinson's and his polyneuropathy. This I could never have managed toileting, bed transfers, etc with the added level of care required. He went into the hospital on Oct.
Oh, the dementia is most likely related to the parkinson's and is, right now, mostly confusion. He knows everyone.
16...released for inpatient rehabilitation beginning Oct 20. He is still in rehab.
Working with a senior care consultant, I identified 5 possible AL facilities. Touring them even as a write this. We can probably afford about $6K a month if it it includes level 3 care. One of the facilities will be out to interview him today.
What I could use, today, is some idea of how much to allow for his personal hygiene products. He is urinary incontinent. Will probably be put on 2 hr toileting schedule. No idea how many pull-ups and tab briefs he will use daily, wipes, chux? Can any of you give me some guideance?
Thank you. Your collective knowledge is such a wealth of information.
Wat I could use
Covid is not just a cold. Please, everyone, take steps to ensure that you're not passing Covid to anyone else. None of us want to be in the sad situation that Judy's husband is in right now.
Judy, I wish you luck in learning what you need to know.
Her Parkinson’s disease became more challenging as she entered the latter stages.
There was a period of time when she was trying to walk out of the front door in the middle of the night. Meds helped tremendously with this. She stopped trying to escape.
My mom did well in rehab. I’m sorry that you are having these issues after rehab.
Wishing you and your husband well.
Oftentimes hospital delirium DOES improve after the elder is home for awhile. But if dh is going to be evaluated for AL while still in rehab, he'll be evaluated as he is NOW.
I also recommended you speak to his PCP about his depression. My mother was terribly depressed after a hospitalization and Wellbutrin helped tremendously.
If you do place him in AL and he's accepted, make sure it's an AL with memory care facilities he can segue into if/when required. You do not want to move him to a new facility entirely, with dementia it's too disorienting.
Best of luck to you.
It is not unusual for dementia to worsen considerably with hospitalization. This circumstance usually does improve after some time after return to normal environment, but in some instances it does not.
We don't know your husband, his circumstances financial, mentally or physically, so we would simply be hazarding guesses as to what level of facility he can enter. Dementia usually means that ALF is not longer possible and you may be looking at MC. Facilities, sadly, in our country are dependent on the level of assets the senior can afford.
I wish you a lot of luck. And again, would help if you let us know
When hubby was hospitalized
What condition caused his hospitalization
How long was he hospitalized.
In general, do know that going into care from Hospitalization often is a big help as you have access to the Social Workers in hospital.
I wish you the best.