I would be really grateful for advice - my 91-year old Mum is currently very ill in her NH, having had the norovirus two weeks ago and now a bad UTI. Her GP had been out twice, and says she is severely dehydrated. She is being treated with liquid antibiotics for the UTI, and also a sub-cutaneous drip for hydration (because I did not want to move her from the NH, which cannot do the IV type). I've just been told by the nurse that the drip is not working because Mum does have enough muscle - they have put it in at four different sites and want to try another one, but they don't think it would work. They think the IV one would probably work. I have now been asked again if I want her to be moved to hospital (it is about 2 minutes away, so the actual journey is not long, although the disruption would doubtless be bad for Mum). Prior to this, Mum was at a low/moderate stage of AD (she could still read and write, was mobile, could knit and did not have any problem recognising people or expressing herself, although she had no sense of day or time). Now she no longer eating, although she is drinking and when asked says she want to get well again.
There is no other close family as I am an only child, and the other family which do exist are complete invisibles. This means I am having to make the decision on my own, and so I would be grateful for advice. Should we try to move Mum? The NH has a lot of agency staff and so Mum is in any case having to be cared for by constantly different people, so it is not really that she is in the hands of familiar carers (although the care is good, I think). I don't want to disturb her, but I am torn apart by the thought that if I don't try everything to help her, I will not be able to get rid of the guilt. When my father was in a similar position a few years ago (although with cancer not AD) my Mum made the decision to have him taken to hospital.
I know that many posters on here have been in the horrible position of making this kind of decision, and so if anyone has any thoughts to offer, it would be much appreciated.
There is no other close family as I am an only child, and the other family which do exist are complete invisibles. This means I am having to make the decision on my own, and so I would be grateful for advice. Should we try to move Mum? The NH has a lot of agency staff and so Mum is in any case having to be cared for by constantly different people, so it is not really that she is in the hands of familiar carers (although the care is good, I think). I don't want to disturb her, but I am torn apart by the thought that if I don't try everything to help her, I will not be able to get rid of the guilt. When my father was in a similar position a few years ago (although with cancer not AD) my Mum made the decision to have him taken to hospital.
I know that many posters on here have been in the horrible position of making this kind of decision, and so if anyone has any thoughts to offer, it would be much appreciated.