Lack of therapist in AL or MC

SEM_BOS

Hi.   My mom is in MC in Florida.    She's got some fairly severe depression and has just begun seeing a psychiatrist.  My question is just more of a curiosity.  

I'm surprised  that AL/MC don't have any type of therapist on staff and am wondering why.  Is it a cost thing? Because they don't have to, so why spend the money?

I know we can hire people and either take her for therapy or look for someone that would do 'house-calls', but a lot of her depression is about feeling 'stuck' in MC, and it seems to me that someone who could observe her at meals or pass her in the hallway would have much better opportunity for insight than someone you sit in a room (or lie on a couch)  with for a weekly "therapy appointment".

I'm really curious.  Does anyone have any insight on this?

MN Chickadee

Some folks commented on your last post when you asked about this which has been buried now since it has been a while:

https://www.alzconnected.org/discussion.aspx?g=posts&t=2147560762

PWD don't generally benefit from talk therapy, they can't retain anything from it or participate. Hence psychiatry which focuses on the one thing they can sometimes benefit from, pharmaceutical treatments.  How long has your mother been in MC? The adjustment is definitely a process and takes time.  Sometimes months. It could be she will adjust and come to feel comfortable there if given more time. I'm not clear what this hypothetical observation  would accomplish, other than to tell you what you already know. If she does have severe depression then the psychiatrist was a good call. Medicine can bring a better quality of life for some. 

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SEM_BOS

Thank you @Victoria and  @MN for you replies.  And to @mnchickadee, I'd forgotten that  I already posted, so ty for reminding me!   (I'm a bit embarrassed that I forgot).

My mom's dementia seems non-standard (a word that one of her Dr's used). She sometimes has very good memory and awareness.   Other times is super confused, in ways identical to the AD/PWD's that I read about in this forum and in books. 

When she's lucid, she's very aware that she's confused, and she knows that can be a terminal condition. She's also frustrated at the loss of independence.   These are the areas where I feel like some therapy (and meds) may help.   Just fishing for options at this point, but there are definitely time when I feel like a therapist could be very helpful.

That said, i can also see the point about PWD's forgetting what they've talked about in therapy.   Thank you again.

SB

easy23

My husband had a psychologist and psychiatrist when he was in MC in NJ. He still has weekly facetime sessions with the psychologist since he's been home.