Where to go if Long-Term Memory Care will not accept my sister's combative behavior?

AnonymousBrother

My sister with EOAD has been in a Geriatric Psych unit for a month now. She was removed from her Assisted Living Memory Care facility after only a week for aggressive and combative behavior. During an incident she was sent to the ER where after that she was admitted to the Geriatric Psych unit to develop a medication and treatment plan.
She has adapted to the unit very well but continues to be combative for toiletry, dressing, and during her occasional night wandering.
Current Long-Term Memory Care facilities will not accept her with this behavior.

We are concerned about what we can do if the hospital psych unit discharges her. Where can she go?

Is there anyone familiar with Geriatric Psychiatric units and how long a patient can stay? How do we look for a Long-Term facility that can manage her combative behaviors?

Anonymousjpl123

was she in assisted living or memory care? I ask because there is such a big difference in their ability to handle these behaviors.

Most MC facilities should be experienced dealing with combative behavior, especially when it comes to toileting and bathing, and wandering. It kind of comes with the mid stage dementia territory. Most will have someone see a psychiatrist or GP who specializes is dementia prescribe medication - which actually CAN help a lot.

My mom’s AL and first MC couldn’t deal with her behavior and it turns out she wasn’t alone. It was a high end (expensive!) facility not equipped to actually deal with dementia. I moved her and it was night and day.

Are there other MC facilities you can visit in your area? Can you let those you are in contact with know she is working to get stable? If she’s not accepted at MC facilities and isn’t safe in your home the hospital has to keep her.

AnonymousBrother

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/252387#Comment_252387

Thank you. The Geriatric Psych unit she is in currently will work to find a facility that will accept and be able to handle her behavior. We are concerned if there is no facility in her locality that will be able to accept her, what will we do. we have heard the same, "If she’s not accepted at MC facilities and isn’t safe in your home the hospital has to keep her", but we haven't heard that definitively from the hospital.

We are hoping for a place that will be able to deal with her dementia.