Hi all. Been a while so hope all are safe and well during these awful times.
Mum has been in her care home now for nearly a year and a half. My sister eventually agreed that we had to sell her house so that was all done over the summer and autumn so most of mum's affairs are now sorted.
Obviously she has been very up and down and like for everyone it has been very difficult in the current climate due to lockdowns, appointment visits only and Perspex screens at the care homes. She was getting agitated during the summer so the GP advised that she went on an anti depressant that seemed to have worked quite well and visits in September were actually really good with mum looking brilliant physically and she seemed calmer mentally with some amazing improvement with her memory and her dark sense of humour had returned.
However the last few weeks have been awful with mum continually sobbing and crying and sitting behind a Perspex screen is a nightmare! She has been very confused and knows something is not right as she always says that her "brain is not working" and that she can't remember anything. Last visit when I and my sister left she shouted at me that she wouldn't leave her mum like that, which was like a knife in the heart but all part of dementia sadly.
This morning I received a call from the home saying she was inconsolable and they couldn't calm her down so would I talk to her? It was difficult to say the least over a phone so I managed to book an appointment tonight. The home have from this week got these rapid tests so I am going to purchase one, have the test and that will hopefully allow me to give mum a hug for the first time in months.
Thing is how do you all deal with this uncontrollable sobbing? She says no-one visits her, which of course isn't right but she forgets and she forgets that both dad and her sister have died so it's a nightmare explaining that every time. I just really don't know how to leave at the end of a visit because she thinks that we are only there for a cup of tea and I will take her home afterwards. I just don't know what to do for the best? Is it worth asking the GP to increase the anti depressants? Is this sobbing a normal part of dementia? It's just so difficult so any advice would be appreciated.
Mum has been in her care home now for nearly a year and a half. My sister eventually agreed that we had to sell her house so that was all done over the summer and autumn so most of mum's affairs are now sorted.
Obviously she has been very up and down and like for everyone it has been very difficult in the current climate due to lockdowns, appointment visits only and Perspex screens at the care homes. She was getting agitated during the summer so the GP advised that she went on an anti depressant that seemed to have worked quite well and visits in September were actually really good with mum looking brilliant physically and she seemed calmer mentally with some amazing improvement with her memory and her dark sense of humour had returned.
However the last few weeks have been awful with mum continually sobbing and crying and sitting behind a Perspex screen is a nightmare! She has been very confused and knows something is not right as she always says that her "brain is not working" and that she can't remember anything. Last visit when I and my sister left she shouted at me that she wouldn't leave her mum like that, which was like a knife in the heart but all part of dementia sadly.
This morning I received a call from the home saying she was inconsolable and they couldn't calm her down so would I talk to her? It was difficult to say the least over a phone so I managed to book an appointment tonight. The home have from this week got these rapid tests so I am going to purchase one, have the test and that will hopefully allow me to give mum a hug for the first time in months.
Thing is how do you all deal with this uncontrollable sobbing? She says no-one visits her, which of course isn't right but she forgets and she forgets that both dad and her sister have died so it's a nightmare explaining that every time. I just really don't know how to leave at the end of a visit because she thinks that we are only there for a cup of tea and I will take her home afterwards. I just don't know what to do for the best? Is it worth asking the GP to increase the anti depressants? Is this sobbing a normal part of dementia? It's just so difficult so any advice would be appreciated.