from Sandie

[Guest guest]

-

Amen to what you wrote about not having

to worry about our loved one's well being

now. It was a constant worry and concern

to make sure they were receiving the best

care possible. They are resting in peace

now and free from the struggles of LBD.

Many hugs and prayers to you-

Sandie

Des Moines, IA

dad, Merle, passed from LBD 9-20-02, age 65

-- Heartbreaking News About Dad

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

> Just to recap, my dad was admitted two days ago to the

> geriatric/psychiatric ward one floor below his nursing home facility.

> His doctor wanted to test him for dementia and a few other things. He

> was found to have dementia and anxiety disorders. Anyhow, apparently,

> the staff whisked him out of his room to place him in the ward without

> sitting down with him and explaining in clear terms what was going to

> happen. When my brother and sister-in-law got there that evening, my

> dad was, literally, shaking from head to toe because he was so scared

> that he'd been put in a " looney bin " . I apologize for using that term

> and I hope not to offend anyone.

>

> Well, they got Dad settled in and went on home. The next morning, my

> sister-in-law went back to check on him. She said he was acting a

> little different and wasn't very talkative. She saw a bandage on his

> arm and asked what happened. He told her that some man had held him

> down. At first, she thought it was just one of his wild tales, but

> then she decided to check with the nurses station. There had not been

> any report written up in his chart. So, she went back to the room and

> Dad's roommate said that he witnessed a male aide come into the room

> and wrestle Dad to the floor because he didn't want to put his oxygen

> on his nose. Dad's nose has been very sore, so when this aide told him

> he needed to wear his oxygen, Dad refused. So, the male aide got

> physical with Dad and wrestled him to the ground! This man, according

> to my sister-in-law, weighed 250 lbs. and stood 6'2 " . My dad weighs

> about 115 and is 5'4 " . Not only that, but he's very feeble and

> frail. When Dad had a nurse put a bandage on his arm, he told her

> that he fell in the bathroom and hit his arm on the wall. He was too

> terrified to tell her what really happened. Dad said the aide tried

> to dig his fingernails into his arm. My sister-in-law said it looked

> pretty bad.

>

> When my sister-in-law told me what happened, I was filled with anger,

> disgust, and hurt. How could anyone who works with ailing elderly

> people be so heartless? It just goes beyond my thinking! It kills me

> to visualize what happened to my dad in my mind. I know he must have

> been scared to death! My sister-in-law immediately had my dad removed

> from the ward, which she said was dirty and hopeless, and taken back

> to his room in the nursing home. She said if anything like that ever

> happens again, she'll bring him home to live with her and my brother.

> I believe she said the aide did not get fired, but I might have

> misunderstood her. It pains me to think of all those poor souls who

> have no family to look after them. Who knows what kinds of abuse the

> have to endure.

>

> April

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

>

>

>