Help - Decisions and Options: Any advice/suggestions are appreciated

Denise1847 · September 13

My DH was admitted on Sept. 2 with COVID. He is off of isolation and want to transfer him out of the hospital. They have been unable to come up with the right meds to calm his anxiety (he constantly wants to get out of bed because he thinks he has to urinate, but he doesn't). He has been checked for a UTI. They have had him constantly in restraints so he has weakened and cannot walk). I believe them have had him up in a chair 4 times and had 2 different PT sessions. The plan was to transfer him to an acute rehab to get him walking but the doctor said that he has been rejected by the one facility because of his agitation (which they have not controlled well with meds). I asked for a geri-psych consult and a psch resident showed up.

I am unable to care for him at home with his mobility issues (he is 213 lbs). It would require hiring almost round the clock help to provide care. He doesn't respond to commands some of the time. If I were to take that option then I fear that the people I hire won't show up and I do not have a back up. I fear that our options will be a nursing home and that he will be confined to his bed for the remainder of his life.

All that I can come up with is to see if I can get him transferred to a geri-psych hospital to get his meds corrected and get him PT even if I have to hire one myself. If he does have to go into a nursing home, see if rehab is possible, even if I can to get them myself.

Has anyone run into this situation and can share their experience.

marier · September 13

I would try for the transfer to the geri-physc. facility 1st

My experience with in-pt hospitalization for my DH due to cellulitis for 8 days put him into a downward tail spin. He was delirious, in restraints and unable to walk for the whole time he was in-pt. Once the infection cleared i took hime home hoping he would improve. I did have help from my son and grandson for the lefting etc.. He started to clear almost immediately and within 3-4 days he was back at baseline.

Baseline was that he was walking and helping with ADLs. In the hospital he couldn't even feed himself. PT would not have helped while in the hospital because he couldn't even follow basic commands.

M1 · September 13

Denise I am so sorry. Hospice evaluation also comes to mind since he is immobile but I don’t know if that would help with his agitation either unless he were medicated continuously. Sounds like the Geri psych transfer may be the way to go but they may not be able to handle an immobile patient. Very rock and a hard place. Maybe ask about both?

clarinetist · September 13

Denise, I’m so sorry you find yourself in this position. You might see if the hospital has a patient advocate. My daughter contacted an advocate for my husband when the hospital wanted to send him back to a Geri-psych unit that hadn’t worked for him. The patient advocate agreed with us and wrote a letter to the hospital asking that they release him to a different Geri-psych, and that’s what happened. However he did have to spend 2 weeks in a medical bed waiting for an opening in our preferred Geri-psych unit. If your husband does end up spending extra time in the hospital at least he would have the benefit of more PT sessions. Best of luck with this

Denise1847 · September 13

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/222699#Comment_222699

Thank you so much.

Denise1847 · September 23

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/222699#Comment_222699

Thank you for sharing.

Help - Decisions and Options: Any advice/suggestions are appreciated

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