Any ideas would be welcome

[LISA YOUNG]

Hi, it is a while since I posted, all seem to settle for a while, my Mum was diagnosed a number of months back with alzheimers and since been put on medication. My Dad is in his late 70's but with the help of my sister and myself seems to cope more less pretty well.
While I was on holiday my Dad was in BHS with my Mum when he blacked out, obviously my Mum didnt know what to do, with the help of the staff there an ambulance was called and of they went to hospital, my Dad was okay, they put it down to stress (no surprise there really). The problem was, it was 6 hours before my sister was notified, only when Dad was well enough to tell my Mum to ring and tell her how to.
Has anyone come across this sort of thing, I have thought about putting a note in my Dads wallet explaining my Mum has dementia and to ring myself or my sister in case of emergency, but if my Mum is there they wouldnt go in his wallet, How did the hospital no know my Mum wasnt up to coping? it is obvious she has dementia.
Any help would be welcome as we dont know what happened in that 6 hours.
Love Lisa xxx

 

[Rosalind]

My local Alz Support have given me two cards, one to go in my husband's wallet, saying he suffers from memory problems and who should be contacted in case of emergency, and another to go in mine, saying I am a carer, who I care for, etc, so if I am knocked down by a bus something will be done about sorting him out, as well as me!

I'm not so sure the one in his wallet is that helpful, as he does not always have it with him, but one like the one I have might be a good idea for your father.

 

[jc141265]

How about...

Would it help to ask hospitals what their procedure is when something like this happens. What do they look at, or do they only ask questions of the person with him?

I assume for example they look for medical bracelets so even though your Dad doesn't suffer from the kind of afflictions that require such a bracelet, perhaps if you got one made for him that had a message on it saying in case of emergency this phone number must be rung that might suffice? Again ask your local hospitals if they think this might work. One would think they would have some kind of procedure in place for this kind of thing, wouldn't one?? Perhaps they don't?

If you find out a better idea, or a solution please post it on here for others.

 

[Sheila]

Hi Lisa, the medic alert bracelets and necklaces would be very useful in this situation. I also got a carers card which I had clipped to my handbag from ICIS, your Dad could clip his to his jacket or jumper when going out. This contained contact nos etc as do the medic alerts. In an emergency the emergency services could act on the information and contact your family. Love She. XX

 

[cynron]

Locked in the car.

I was told by a professional that a man carer locked his wife in the car for a short time while he did some shopping. While shopping he had a heart attack. Nobody knew she was in the car,she was found later by a man who was locking up the car park.It would appear there is a real need for some sort of information to be available to make people aware of of the dangers of these situations.
Cynron.

 

[LISA YOUNG]

Thanks

Thanks for all the advice, I am without a doubt going to get some sort of ID for my Dad, which will help him should anything similar happen, it will also be of help for my sister and myself, alzheimers is a very sad illness to come to terms with, everytime you think you have head round things, something else rears its head, I do appreciate this is the nature of the illness and it will only get worse not better, but it is good to try to deal with each issue as it arises, and release some of the pressure from my Dad.
Thanks again
Lisaxx

 

[daughter]

Hi Lisa,

I'm not sure if you had a card yet but I saw something about ICE (In Case of Emergency) today on the news:

http://www.icecontact.com/

This one is for ICIS, as described by Sheila:

http://www.icis-info4life.org.uk/ForCarers/carerscard.htm

I'm not sure if the above two are region specific but here's a list of emergency contact schemes in England:

http://www.carersuk.org/Newsandcampaigns/BackMeUp/EmergencySchemes#5822

Some cost nothing to carers and the one in Lancashire is in the 'Sandy Lane Centre' - appropriate as I'm doing a Sandy-link thing :

http://www.carers.org/newtemplate/myservicedetails.asp?ServicesID=369&CentreID=188

Best wishes,

 

[Loiner]

I dunno if your health authority does it but here in Leeds, my GP has some cards in neon blue and bright red, it reads, I am a carer, if u are reading this card and I am ill, the person named opposite is who I care for and will need help, then u fill in the details, got it in my wallet, also lions charity has some message in a bottle jars, about the size of a small jam jar they are free at chemist, u fill in details of u and person u can for and stick it in the fridge, emergency services know to look for it

David