Re: Re: Nursing home that I visited Friday

[Guest guest]

Hi Imogene, yes, I hear you, EASY MONEY!! Not fair for the rest of God's

children.

I'm to get a call today 3 to 5 from her health ins. co. SOCIAL WORKER RN.

to discuss with me about Hospice and Respite care. I guess to see if her

medicare HMO pays for respite care or how much I would pay. And the rules

they have about HOSPICE. My Mom has had hallucinations and brain scan, all

of that over a year ago and was diagnosed with dementia.

Take care and I am thinking and praying for you and Don,

in Tx

[Guest guest]

This is more like the case with my mom as well. Every 6 months or so she

seems to need a medication adjustment, and they send her to a small psych

hospital where she stays a few days and comes back a different woman.

Usually she starts hallucinating more and the paranoia and rants start, she

even gets violent but her UTI culture is negative. When that happens, out

she goes. Then her meds get adjusted and she comes back and much calmer and,

most importantly, happier.

His,

Sherry s

www.owly.net

daughter of , (mis?)diagnosed with AD in 2005, diagnosed with LBD March

2008; in a NH, taking Aricept/Namenda, Seroquel, and Effexor for depression.

----- Original Message -----

> When I was speaking of my Mom being in the Geriatric-Psych ward it was

> only to diagnose and to regulate meds to calm her. She was evaluated and

> then referred to the doctors that are the experts on LBD and other

> dementias...without going to the geriatric-psych ward, I don't know what I

> would have done, because all of the general doctors had no idea what was

> going on, but she was observed 24/7 while there and that did help with the

> diagnosis.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sherry, so your Mom goes to the psych hospital, every 6 months. Now I

don't feel so bad if I do have to take my Mom one day. Some people think

its not a good idea, and that kinda stressed me, because since I'm her

primary caregiver and she has no one else to help her, then what????

I am looking into Respite care, I called the agency of aging this morning

and they said you get $300 total only for one time in a lifetime and you

can get someone to come out to help me out, as long as I can spend the $300

wisely, it might give me a break every week or so for a little while. I'm

sure the caregivers charge a lot of money though.

Hospice care can be gotten ordered through her Primary dr., and that's

where a nurse comes out to help her kinda like a home health nurse. It can

last 6 months or if needed longer can go on for as long as needed in some

cases.

Good luck with your precious Mom. My Mom slept for the past 3 days, but

today, she is very scared her boyfriend is going to steal all her money out

of the bank and kill her!! I had to leave for a few minutes and she had

the phone in her hand, it doesn't work, ready to call 911 I am guessing, and

she wondered why my bedroom door was locked, and I locked all the doors. I

gave her an ATIVAN, as she does OK with that pill, she's had about twice

in the past month. And I'm praying it will put her to sleep and calm her

down.

God blessings,

In a message dated 4/13/2010 3:46:05 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

upnorth@... writes:

This is more like the case with my mom as well. Every 6 months or so she

seems to need a medication adjustment, and they send her to a small psych

hospital where she stays a few days and comes back a different woman.

Usually she starts hallucinating more and the paranoia and rants start,

she

even gets violent but her UTI culture is negative. When that happens, out

she goes. Then her meds get adjusted and she comes back and much calmer

and,

most importantly, happier.

His,

Sherry s

www.owly.net

daughter of , (mis?)diagnosed with AD in 2005, diagnosed with LBD

March

2008; in a NH, taking Aricept/Namenda, Seroquel, and Effexor for

depression.

[Guest guest]

Yes, so far it has averaged about every 6 months when she needs an

adjustment. (Ativan almost killed my mom - literally.) After her meds are

adjusted, she is once again calmer, without the paranoia and hallucinations

as you describe with your mom. However, you have also read of people's bad

experiences with psych hospitals and LBDers, so you have to make sure the

psychiatrist is LBD-savvy - that s/he knows which meds are off limits

(ativan is typically off-limits, your mom may be an exception - it made my

mother MUCH more paranoid and confused, even combative, whenever she was

awakened), which are most effective, how to dose (not the same as ADers for

example), etc...which means that YOU will need to know all of that. I

grilled the psychiatrists, literally, the first time my mom went to each

hospital, and the first one resented that, had the " I'm the doctor, you're

just the idiot " mentality but I insisted very firmly that he was accountable

to ME, not the other way around.

So you have to be very careful. But yes, each of the visits were necessary

and I'd rather have an LBD-savvy psychiatrist adjust my mom's meds than a

nursing home doctor.

His,

Sherry s

www.owly.net

daughter of , (mis?)diagnosed with AD in 2005, diagnosed with LBD March

2008; in a NH, taking Aricept/Namenda, Seroquel, and Effexor for depression.

----- Original Message -----

> Hi Sherry, so your Mom goes to the psych hospital, every 6 months. Now I

> don't feel so bad if I do have to take my Mom one day. Some people think

> its not a good idea, and that kinda stressed me, because since I'm her

> primary caregiver and she has no one else to help her, then what????

>

> I am looking into Respite care, I called the agency of aging this morning

> and they said you get $300 total only for one time in a lifetime and you

> can get someone to come out to help me out, as long as I can spend the

> $300

> wisely, it might give me a break every week or so for a little while. I'm

> sure the caregivers charge a lot of money though.

>

> Hospice care can be gotten ordered through her Primary dr., and that's

> where a nurse comes out to help her kinda like a home health nurse. It

> can

> last 6 months or if needed longer can go on for as long as needed in some

> cases.

>

> Good luck with your precious Mom. My Mom slept for the past 3 days, but

> today, she is very scared her boyfriend is going to steal all her money

> out

> of the bank and kill her!! I had to leave for a few minutes and she had

> the phone in her hand, it doesn't work, ready to call 911 I am guessing,

> and

> she wondered why my bedroom door was locked, and I locked all the doors.

> I

> gave her an ATIVAN, as she does OK with that pill, she's had about twice

> in the past month. And I'm praying it will put her to sleep and calm her

> down.

[Guest guest]

Hello dear Sherry, I jumped in on your post to someone else, as I hadn't

told one person that Don had no infections. The need to talk was

overwhelming, even though I was so tired.

You are precious, and I always read your post. Sorry dear, as I am bad

about jumping in on anyone's post, and not even staying on the subject.

naughty girl,

: ) Smile and I'll smile with you.

Love a lot,

Imogene

In a message dated 4/15/2010 10:10:58 A.M. Central Daylight Time,

upnorth@... writes:

I knew that...was replying to another post...but have been worried sick

for

you and am glad that you are going to be able to take care of yourself and

hopefully can heal somewhat. With your back problems and other things I

have

really worried about you handling Don, to say nothing of his violence as

his

disease is progressing...I am glad he is in a place where they can keep

him - and others - safe, and that you are also safe. I imagine your heart

is

breaking, this is one of the most cruel diseases I've ever known of, to

change your lovely Texas gentleman so.

You are so dear and loved by all of us here, I am confident I can speak

for

the others as well. I pray for only the best for you...

His,

Sherry s

www.owly.net

daughter of , (mis?)diagnosed with AD in 2005, diagnosed with LBD

March

2008; in a NH, taking Aricept/Namenda, Seroquel, and Effexor for

depression.

----- Original Message -----

> Hi dear Sherry, My Don has no infections at all. He is just getting

sicker

> with LBD. He was diagnosed five years ago, and his health is bad. Even

if

> they get Don's meds adjusted and he lived another two years he is not

> coming home. I am not able to care for him anymore.

> He won't be admitted to any NH so he has to stay right where he is.

------------------------------------

Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

[Guest guest]

I knew that...was replying to another post...but have been worried sick for

you and am glad that you are going to be able to take care of yourself and

hopefully can heal somewhat. With your back problems and other things I have

really worried about you handling Don, to say nothing of his violence as his

disease is progressing...I am glad he is in a place where they can keep

him - and others - safe, and that you are also safe. I imagine your heart is

breaking, this is one of the most cruel diseases I've ever known of, to

change your lovely Texas gentleman so.

You are so dear and loved by all of us here, I am confident I can speak for

the others as well. I pray for only the best for you...

His,

Sherry s

www.owly.net

daughter of , (mis?)diagnosed with AD in 2005, diagnosed with LBD March

2008; in a NH, taking Aricept/Namenda, Seroquel, and Effexor for depression.

----- Original Message -----

> Hi dear Sherry, My Don has no infections at all. He is just getting sicker

> with LBD. He was diagnosed five years ago, and his health is bad. Even if

> they get Don's meds adjusted and he lived another two years he is not

> coming home. I am not able to care for him anymore.

> He won't be admitted to any NH so he has to stay right where he is.

[Guest guest]

Thank you Imogene and love you too:)

Dear, thanks for the update. I hope something workable falls into

place.

Love you dear, and keep us posted.

Imogene

[Guest guest]

I did check out CC Young and they don't take Medicaid. They gave me the

name of this NH that does, have you heard of it? Its in Dallas off of 635 E.

Doctors Healthcare and Rehab Center

is correct. Now all NH work that way. The one we had my Mother in

worked with us to get my Mother the help she needed to be calmer. I also

assure you that there were plenty of residents that were disruptive. One man

would holler at the top of his lungs for his wife. He would also hit at the

aides. One lady would scream her head off when they took her for a shower.

Another lady would scream for no reason. Many also refused to take

medication. The staff tried to work with each resident to find out what worked

for

them. They would crush the pills and mix them with jelly. Sometimes they

had to spread it on toast to get them to take it.

It sounds like you are near Dallas (McKinney?). I don't know how far away

you are from the White Rock lake area, but you might check out CC Young.

They have everything from independent living to a late stage Alzheimer's

floor. My Mother was on that floor because she needed the extra care that they

can give them. They have separate floors for people that just need nursing

care, but still have their memories.

Good luck,

in Dallas

> >

> > Let me tell you what the nursing home I went to see Friday said!!!

Your not going to believe this. They had a locked down unit, the lady showed

me, and then I talked to the Administrator and she said, if your Mom is

combatitive or goes to the door and bangs on it and insists she wants out for

any reason, like I told her she just walks out of my house and gets mad if I

tell her she can't go. She said she can't come here. Or no nursing home

will take her, because that person, (Mom) would interrupt the others and they

can't have anyone upsetting other patients. So she said, if one time I

brought here there and she didn't want her medicines, they can't force her to

take them, if she wouldn't wear her boot for her broke foot, they couldn't

make her, they can't restrain her and most nursing homes will not restrain

her. She suggested if she gets so crazy and out of control and she said it

sounds like your Mom has psyschological problems instead of alzheimers or

she is at the beginning of alzheimers since she knows me and everyone and

everything going on around her, except the wild and crazy hallucinations that

live with her constantly. She said, call the social worker at McKinney

Green Oaks, psch hospital and see if you can take her there to get her meds

situated and her stable before you try and attempt to put her in a nursing

home. I called them and the lady said yes, first you have to take her to

McKinney hospital ER and they have to observe her and see if she is in need of

psch treatment before they can admit her over there at Green Oaks for the

elderly with BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. Thats what the nursing homes won't accept a

person with behavior problems. And when I told them that Mom is pretty good

most of the time, when her hallucinations are she's getting married, but

when someone is going to kill her, then she FLIPS OUT TOTALLY!!! That is

unacceptable by nursing home staff. So if she flips out on me and won't do

what I tell h er, or tries to get out and goes crazy when I stop her, then I

or someone will have to drive her over to McKinney to the ER and go from

there. They told me at the Green Oaks place, its all elderly, thank goodness,

and they normally stay about 10 days. My goal right now is to get her

medicine Seroquel in her system enough to slow down her hallucinations. My

husband is at his wits end with Mom, no patience anymore from him. And I'm

stressed to the limit. And now upset that I can't just take her to the nursing

home! But Green Oaks is there for me to use, its my last resort!! Then if I

get her there and she's OK, maybe they can transfer her to a nursing home.

She is not wearing the boot somedays and she is not using the wheelchair as

of yesterday, but walking on that broke foot. Today, Sunday she is

cooperating. I called her foot dr. while ago (Friday) and told the nurse about

this. And they said, oh no, I told them she has flipped out and her

hallicinations are ge tting so severe that I can't hardly force her to put this

on.

They said they totally understood, I told them I will have my son to get her

to do this, as they get angry at their primary caregiver, ME. I have read

so much about this disease. And I think she has LEWY BODIES dementia. and

the lady at the nursing home said, they had one patient that had that and

that is the worse form of dementia ever and those people can not be controlled

hardly at all. And I DO KNOW THAT IS TRUE!

> >

> > Another person emailed me and told me about how Medicare will pay for

RESPITE CARE in a nursing home through Hospice? Is this true? If I got her

signed up through her dr. and medicare, they would pay for me to drop her

off at a nursing home for a few days to get me some relief? That is if she

would cooperate and this is true.

> >

> > Anyone know about this?

> >

> > Thanks all,

> > in Texas

> >

>