And the stresses mount up...Everything's ticking away, then mum gets an UTI a month ago, but refuses the antibiotics. The CH tried to get her admitted to hospital, but the A&E doctor just gave her a dose covertly then sent her back to the CH. So this poison is eating away at her, and she has become aggressive, non-compliant and too much for the CH to handle. Is this as a result of the UTI or a natural progression of the dementia - who knows? But she has such a high level of dependency now that the CH have given us notice that she has to go as they cannot cope. Unfortunately as she has been labelled aggressive, no nursing home so far feels able to take her. We are privately funded, so what happens next? SS don't want to know. What if we find nowhere suitable, surely she cannot be evicted? Would she be forced into hospital? Any advice would be very welcome.
Care home has given notice
- Thread starter daughterofpat
- Start date
Have they re-tested for a UTI? If she has only had one dose of antibiotics it is unlikely to have gone and she is in danger of getting sepsis - can you ask the care home to test again immediately to see if there is an infection present. It seems to me they haven't addressed the problem and neither has the GP. The can give antibiotics covertly and she will be aggressive if she is in great discomfort. I would push them to sorting it first. Explain that noone will take her until this is sorted out and why haven't they re-tested. If they say they tested once tell them to test again. They can't throw her out onto the street they would have to have her sectioned but see if you can sort out the UTI issue first and then let us know how you get on
I agree with Fizzle.. seems as though they haven't tried to address what may be the cause of the change in behaviour. Refusing medication isn't unusual in dementia residents...it was a battle for the NH staff and me in the past but usually ways can be found
Thank you! She is on her third course of antibiotics in a row - the dip tests after each course show that she still has the infection. She is refusing to take the pills or the liquid form, and the CH will not give covertly as it's against their policy (apparently!). It is so frustrating, as she does not have the capacity to decide whether to take them or not as she doesn't understand what they are for, and if they mixed it in some ice cream or similar, she would have probably been over this by now. Part of me feels I need to somehow step in and do it myself - but it would be such a struggle to go 3-4x a day for a week. The GP will not give a longer course either.
If only they would just step outside the boundary of company policy and just give her the antibiotics covertly. I understand their reluctance, but if the family signed it off, you would hope they would do it - as it's in her best interests. But every time I suggest it, I'm met with "it's not company policy" Arrgghhh!
Dad's had sometimes to be given covertly. Itvis not the same as physically forcing someone to take medication which of course should not be done. The GP has prescribed the medication for them to administer so he has signed off the need...so they are acting in her best interests in finding a way of giving it ...if she lacks mental capacity to understand what or why...I can't see how else it can be given other than a nurse coming in and injecting which would cause her more distress and a sledgehammer to crack a walnut! Do you have poa health?
Are the antibiotics she's been given the same ones? If so the infection may have become resistant especially if her taking them has been a bit hit & miss so she will need something different. My mum suffers these reguarily & I usually know even before the test shows positive because of a change in behaviour & how she is & what she says. I have been at the care home when they have disguised the tablets in yogurt or jelly so don't know what the problem is doing that for your mum. Perhaps a nurse will have to come to administer them or inject.
It may need a culture, to more specifically identify what medications would be effective for the infection. If that hasn't been done very recently I would push for that. There is no point throwing the wrong antibiotics at it, especially when she is resistant to medications.
I have seen reports here on TP that a GP or other physician is able to prescribe, or sign off on, a medication being given in food/drink, so perhaps that is an option?
I have seen reports here on TP that a GP or other physician is able to prescribe, or sign off on, a medication being given in food/drink, so perhaps that is an option?
Hi daughterofpat, I haven't any solutions for you but I was interested to read your post as my Mum is in a similar situation. She has spells of being angry and lashing out but they say she doesn't have a UTI, they think its her Dementia progressing. I was told yesterday by the CH that they don't have the 'expertise' to manage her (huh really?!) although they aren't getting the support they need from the MH/Crisis team. They're trying her in the unit for Dementia patients further down the line so we'll see how that goes. As I've read on here they cant throw her out on the street and I don't know if she can be sectioned in the home - but then where will she go. If I do learn of anything useful I'll share it on here 
I don't believe she can be sectioned in a care home I believe it has to be a hospital or approved state institution. A lot of people seem to be sectioned in hospital then moved to an assessment centre which sometimes can be within the hospital or like my wife a special assessment some miles away, people on here in the past have had to move well outside their own area to one of the specialist assessment units.I don't know if she can be sectioned in the home - but then where will she go. If I do learn of anything useful I'll share it on here
K
