Psychiatric Hospital !!!?!!

You could plead for ten more days in the kindest way possible. I’ve never heard of a memory care that allows two cats. Sounds like a very nice place! Can you make up some nice gift baskets for the staff and lay it on thick? Have you also tried to sternly reason with Mom and tell her she’s not going to be able to have her cats and this nice place anymore if she keeps up with the dramatic behavior. If she really cannot get herself together, then I think she does need the transition.

You are not the first to come to the forum freaked out about sending a loved one to a psychiatric facility, while I have no personal experience I have read many posts about how incredibly beneficial an in patient stay was for the vast majority of those who were offered this kind of intervention.

My mom's dementia progressed to psychotic behavior that the nursing home could not managing effectively. (That NH did not have a memory care unit) She went to the ER then was in the hospital for a week before a bed opened up in a Specialized Care Unit (basically a locked down pyschic unit) It was the best place for her. The staff to patient ratio was low. The staff gave her the best care and attention. Mom was there for 6 weeks in order to get her stabilized on psychotic medication then placed in the memory care unit of a different nursing home. People suffering with dementia don't get better, they decline, stay stabile, the decline again. The disease progresses progressively faster over time. It's very hard to deal with the emotions of losing a loved one bit by bit but as the one making the decisions on your LO behalf you need to face reality and get her the care she probably needs sooner rather than later. Good luck.

This would not be permanent. MC and the doctors associated with it are not qualified to "play" with medication. A phychiatrist is needed at this point to find the "right" combination of meds that will work for MIL. Tests will be done and labs.

My daughter says it can take a month to see if meds work. If its found that combination is not working, then they have to try something else.This could end up being the best thing for her.

What you are seeing could be considered anxiety and this is not good for her. Of course she is like this. She doesn't know what is happening. Your profile says she was in an AL. Is the move to MC new?

I too am surprised that she is allowed cats in a MC unit. Usually, if the resident can not care for them, they aren't allowed.

Yes, it happens. Upon placement in an MC facility my wife was angry, resentful and destructive. The nursing director suggested she be temporarily placed in a psych hospital to address her behavior. The family was stunned at the suggestion but having her destroy the place was not an option. She spent only 12 days there and came back to MC a different person. She was cordial, pleasant and adapted very well until her passing.

It's a difficult realization for the family to understand, but MC facilities cannot, by themselves, offer proper treatment.

It'll get better. Good luck.

Psych hospitals are (appropriately) scary to think of.

BUT..
sometimes they are the best option for care.

Antidepressants take about 6 weeks to reach therapeutic doses--and it's a rotten, miserable 6 weeks for everyone involved.

A stay in a psych ward might be very beneficial to your xMIL. They will monitor meds much more closely and give her almost one on one care.

I don't know about cats being allowed in. That's going to be a possible deal breaker. People with allergies to cats can be made VERY sick sharing air space with cats.

I do wish you luck.

My dad was moved to a psychiatric hospital and he had dementia. He’d been combative and took car keys and decided to commit suicide by driving off a bridge. That was the end. He didn’t not belong there. He was depressed and knew he was not reasoning properly. Not a good move. He went down so fast and there were people there who wandered into his room and stole his clothes, his watch. He got no exercise and became very week. I suppose all places are not the same, but in hind sight it was totally the wrong move.

Reading these posts are really helpful. Mom has gotten stronger over the past six months or so it seems, except maybe cognitively. In the evening it is more apparent. Any request she disagrees with to do something I might ask is met with disregard or an anger outbursts. On one occasion the situation became unbearable I locked the door to a room away from her. She eventually retreated and went to bed. The nurse suggested medication to calm her down which I will try next time. I'll try this before a psych hospital.

An aunt was in the psych hospital after threatening and yelling at family members during a get together. I believe she was overwhelmed by the number of people and frustrated at her inability to interact and lower energy level. One relative, a police officer, eventually called the police to everyone's shock and she was taken by ambulance. She was medicated and observed for maybe a month. I visited her and she felt that she did something wrong and was maybe in jail. It was explained that she was not and there for observation. She was lucky to have family members available. She returned home much more calm due to the correct level of medication.