Covid hits memory care

Gig Harbor

My husband tested positive for Covid last Friday(10 days ago). He never had bad respiratory symptoms but did have a fever for a few days. He did receive Paxlovid. I have not gone to see him as they were asking family to only visit outside. His confusion increased. Today the staff reported that since yesterday he has been touching residents and staff in a sexual way and cannot easily be redirected. When they ask him to stop he laughs and mumbles and really doesn’t seem to understand what they are saying. He is also exit seeking. I talked to his NP and decided to try respiradone. I did my reading and know the risks but also realize that he can’t be grabbing staff and residents. He almost pulled one resident to the ground. He did not respond well to the one dose of Seroquel I tried with him. He became catatonic for several hours and it was a low dose. If he did that there the staff would certainly call the medics and I don’t want him taken to ER. My mother was on respiradone for a few months to get her over a bad spell and came off of it as soon as possible. I feel bad for not visiting but don’t want to go into an area with active Covid patients. They don’t confine patients to their rooms because they don’t understand and it would be impossible. I truly hate this disease and what it does to people. My husband does not deserve this.

sandwichone123

Gig, what a trying situation! I completely agree that meds in this case seem like a wise course of action. It would be terrible to lose a good placement over acute behaviors.

No, none of us deserve this--not our spouses, and not us.

Quilting brings calm

You getting exposed to covid isn’t going to help him… especially if you get really ill with it.  

I agree medication is needed.  Maybe the brain fog that comes with covid is making everything worse for him. 

dayn2nite2

Have they bothered to check for UTI and do a culture?

Ed1937

Gig, I'm sorry. Maybe we've learned enough on how to handle covid that it won't be a big deal anymore.

JoseyWales

Gig, I'm so sorry this has happened. My DH is on risperidone too. I'm not a fan of it, but without it his behaviors were so much worse and probably would have had him kicked out of his memory care. There's no good solution here.

Covid just went through DHs mc too. 8 out of 14 in his locked unit tested positive, I think. DH wasn't one of them. I was allowed to continue to visit with no restrictions. None of the residents who were positive were kept in their rooms, unless they were napping. They did try to keep them more apart than usual, but as you can imagine that was a losing battle. I found it interesting that almost none of them had symptoms that I could notice. None of the staff - or me - ever tested positive. 

Joydean

Gig, so sorry your husband got the Covid, and the other folks in the facility. Hope the meds help with the touching. 

Jo C.

Dear Gig, what a stunning thing to have happen; I am truly sorry.   Hopefully his COVID infection will be mild until he is fully cleared.   It is probably the infection that has caused his behavior to change.  Hopefully that will be limited and in the meanwhile, I do hope the Risperdal works well for him and  is a positive.

You are wise in delaying visitation while the COVID is active at the facility; it is one more thing you do not need.

Let us know how he is doing and also, how you are doing.

Big hug,

J.

M1

Just hit our unit today too GH.  Three positive cases (out of 24 residents and I don't know how many staff) so far.  I knew it was a matter of time, no one is being careful around here any more.  And the kids just started school today, so it will only go up from here.

Ed1937

M1 wrote:

no one is being careful around here any more. 

It's probably that way across the country, maybe the world.

Joe C.

Gig, Sorry to hear your dealing with a covid outbreak at the MC. This is a continuous concern for all of us with LOs in LTC. I hope the medication helps with the other issues.