Have any questions about how to use the community? Check out the Help Discussion.

ER visit, then more decline??

mrhmlh
mrhmlh Member Posts: 4
5 Care Reactions First Comment
Member

Yesterday I had to call 911 as my mom passed out and gasped for breath as she was trying to enter the bathroom. She said she couldn’t straighten her back, so I got a chair behind her so she could sit and then she loss consciousness. In the ER she was treated for hypotension and dehydration. A cat scan (? stroke) was negative, UA negative. She was sent home.

I had her only caregiver and we go back and forth between her state and mine. She is widowed, 96 yr old with mixed dementia, probably later stage. I was encouraged to look into MC in my state , rather than hers. There are no caregivers or relatives where she lives. She just wants to die in her home.

Back to yesterday, we got home from the ER and it took an hour to get her inside and to her bedroom. Difficulty using walker. She slept for awhile and then went to the bathroom. She can toilet herself but has a tendency to remove the Depends and go commando and have a “tail” hanging out. I usually hang outside the bathroom door, asking if she needs help and yesterday she said she did. Her hand was covered in poo and she was trying to get off (ripping) a poo-filled blow out Depends. She would not let me help her or listen to simple commands “clean your hand” and it took forever to get her cleaned up. Is this a reaction to an (ER) event?

Today, she is sitting hunched over with head down. She is not interested in TV or music. Her speech is non-sensical. She really isnt aware she is at my house, nor is she aware she lived elsewhere for 40+ years. She mentioned yesterday the my dad and brother are together and having a good time (both deceased).

I have looked into MC here and decided on a facility, but the wait list is 8-9 months long. I wanted to take care of my mom , but after yesterday, I am not sure I can.

Just venting more than anything. Thanks for “listening”.

Comments

  • JulietteBee
    JulietteBee Member Posts: 340
    100 Care Reactions 100 Likes 100 Comments 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    I am so sorry that you are currently having a rough time with mom

    Hospitalizations in general can/do have a negative effect on their mentation. However, I've never heard of a brief ER visit having such a profound effect.

    You know the old saying, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" I think this current situation with mom is just that. You believe the ER visit caused it. I believe whatever caused her to lose consciousness is what you are now seeing in her declined mentation.

    Regardless of what caused it, you do in fact need to figure out where can best meet your mom's progressive needs, your home or a facility. All the best in your decision making.

  • terei
    terei Member Posts: 767
    Eighth Anniversary 250 Likes 500 Comments 100 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    From what you are describing, your mom should be being helped by hospice. Call tomorrow and have her assessed. They will give you at least some help and assistance and may be able to point you toward a facility that can help you.

  • psg712
    psg712 Member Posts: 609
    250 Likes 500 Comments 100 Insightfuls Reactions 100 Care Reactions
    Member

    Agree with hospice assessment. You can't wait eight months for a facility spot. Hospice can help you to evaluate your options.

  • SDianeL
    SDianeL Member Posts: 2,648
    2500 Comments 1,000 Care Reactions 1,000 Likes 500 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    ditto on calling hospice. They offer so much help and even supplies, counseling and a Chaplin. Dementia qualifies for hospice care since it’s a progressive disease. They will reevaluate her every 6 months. They may be able to help get her into a facility sooner. So sorry about your Mom.

  • harshedbuzz
    harshedbuzz Member Posts: 6,013
    Eighth Anniversary 1,500 Insightfuls Reactions 1,500 Likes 5000 Comments
    Member

    @mrhmlh

    That sounds like quite the ordeal for you both.

    I agree with the others that a hospice evaluation would be useful. My concern about the MC with the wait list is that by the time mom's turn comes, she could very likely have progressed beyond a stage where they would accept her in their community. Most MCF require their new residents to be ambulatory and self-feeding. Many hospices operate a "hospice house" which might be an option for a quicker placement. The hospice care would be covered by Medicare, while the room & board portion would be self-pay.

    HB

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
Read more