Dad has been sectioned to get assessed

[Kelly76]

Hi All
My Dad had to sectioned under section 2 , 5 days ago. This was due to his behaviour becoming to hard to managed ( he was living at home with mum) Over a period of 6 weeks he became double incontinent , always wanting to go “home” - crying , crawling around on the floor whilst saying he wanted to died- shadowing my mum and seeing imaginary people . He was absolutely relentless and only had a few hours in 24hrs he was calm- however when he was calm he seemed happy and at peace.
He’s now on an acute dementia ward where they will do a complete assessment of him and tweak his medication.
I have visited every day and it’s heartbreaking, he’s so sad - he obviously has no understanding of why he’s there - when I go in he thinks he’s going home.
Has anyone had any experience of their LO being sectioned to get assessed? Did it help?
We’re looking at Care homes for him to go in when he leaves to able my mum to get some life back - it’s so hard. Any positive experiences would be great please ?
Thank u for reading

 

[jaymor]

Hi @Kelly76 and welcome to the forum.

My husband went into an assessment unit after three crisis at home. He went voluntarily though would have been sectioned if he had refused. He was there 9 weeks and it was after two weeks we were told he needed 24 hour care. In the following 7 weeks they worked with him and sorted his medication and he went into full time care in a nursing home with 1:1 care and CHC funding from the NHS.

when he first went into the unit and realised it was not just for an appointment he became very difficult and walked around all day with his coat on and as many of his clothes that he could carry. He was always by the door when we visited daily. Then one day that all change, we arrived to find him sitting in one of the lounges with a carer, tea and cake in front of them and a conversation going on between them that only they understood. We had now entered a more settled time and when he moved to the nursing home he had not noticed he had moved. To me this time in the assessment unit gave both of us back a more calmer and pleasant life. It was all the help he needed, the help that for the previous 7 years had not been available. It’s sad that a crisis has to happen.

So for us it was a big positive.

 

[LynneMcV]

Hi @Kelly76 , my late husband was sectioned twice during his battle with dementia.

It felt like a living nightmare for all of us at the time and everything felt so, so desolate. Having said that, it was undeniably the best thing for him.

The first time he was sectioned it was for his own safety as well as ours (myself and our son and daughter all lived together). While he was in the secure dementia unit he was in a safe environment where the medical staff could gradually strip back his medication and start over, to find what best worked for him at that stage. He was there for eight weeks altogether - but it was an absolutely joyous occasion when he was able to come back home to his family at the end of it.

We had a further two years of my lovely husband being at home, and he did so well and got so much enjoyment out of being in the heart of his family - as did we, having him back with us.

The progession of dementia marched on though - each change was helped by an occasional tweak to his medication, without the need to go into care - until such time as he was in his final few months (though we didnt know it at the time) . Things became so wild and unmanageable that he had to be sectioned for a second time. This time though, sadly no amount of medicinal tweaks were going to help his situation - and believe me they did try. As it was he went downhill very suddenly at that point and passed away before being transferred to a nursing ho!me with 24/7 2 to1 care in place.

As desolate as it all was at the time, I am so very grateful for the extra two years of family life we enjoyed following the first sectioning and which was the direct result of professional care which could only be given within that setting.

My heart goes out to you snd your family and I wish for the best outcome for you all.

 

[Kelly76]

Hi @Kelly76 and welcome to the forum.

My husband went into an assessment unit after three crisis at home. He went voluntarily though would have been sectioned if he had refused. He was there 9 weeks and it was after two weeks we were told he needed 24 hour care. In the following 7 weeks they worked with him and sorted his medication and he went into full time care in a nursing home with 1:1 care and CHC funding from the NHS.

when he first went into the unit and realised it was not just for an appointment he became very difficult and walked around all day with his coat on and as many of his clothes that he could carry. He was always by the door when we visited daily. Then one day that all change, we arrived to find him sitting in one of the lounges with a carer, tea and cake in front of them and a conversation going on between them that only they understood. We had now entered a more settled time and when he moved to the nursing home he had not noticed he had moved. To me this time in the assessment unit gave both of us back a more calmer and pleasant life. It was all the help he needed, the help that for the previous 7 years had not been available. It’s sad that a crisis has to happen.

So for us it was a big positive.

Hi Jaymor
Thank you for replying - It’s so good to hear it helped both of you and it was a positive outcome. My Dad is exactly the same as your husband was at the start- he’s constantly wondering around and when he gets the opportunity he lays on the floor across the exit waiting to leave. It’s early days but hoping he will found peace soon once his medication is tweaked. I’m praying for the day to see him smile again.
All the best x

 

[Kelly76]

Hi @Kelly76 , my late husband was sectioned twice during his battle with dementia.

It felt like a living nightmare for all of us at the time and everything felt so, so desolate. Having said that, it was undeniably the best thing for him.

The first time he was sectioned it was for his own safety as well as ours (myself and our son and daughter all lived together). While he was in the secure dementia unit he was in a safe environment where the medical staff could gradually strip back his medication and start over, to find what best worked for him at that stage. He was there for eight weeks altogether - but it was an absolutely joyous occasion when he was able to come back home to his family at the end of it.

We had a further two years of my lovely husband being at home, and he did so well and got so much enjoyment out of being in the heart of his family - as did we, having him back with us.

The progession of dementia marched on though - each change was helped by an occasional tweak to his medication, without the need to go into care - until such time as he was in his final few months (though we didnt know it at the time) . Things became so wild and unmanageable that he had to be sectioned for a second time. This time though, sadly no amount of medicinal tweaks were going to help his situation - and believe me they did try. As it was he went downhill very suddenly at that point and passed away before being transferred to a nursing ho!me with 24/7 2 to1 care in place.

As desolate as it all was at the time, I am so very grateful for the extra two years of family life we enjoyed following the first sectioning and which was the direct result of professional care which could only be given within that setting.

My heart goes out to you snd your family and I wish for the best outcome for you all.

Hi LynneMcv
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I’m so sorry you husband has now passed but it’s good to hear you were able to gain a couple of good years after the first section.
Thank you & best wishes x

 

[Jef7]

Hi @Kelly76 and welcome to the forum.

My husband went into an assessment unit after three crisis at home. He went voluntarily though would have been sectioned if he had refused. He was there 9 weeks and it was after two weeks we were told he needed 24 hour care. In the following 7 weeks they worked with him and sorted his medication and he went into full time care in a nursing home with 1:1 care and CHC funding from the NHS.

when he first went into the unit and realised it was not just for an appointment he became very difficult and walked around all day with his coat on and as many of his clothes that he could carry. He was always by the door when we visited daily. Then one day that all change, we arrived to find him sitting in one of the lounges with a carer, tea and cake in front of them and a conversation going on between them that only they understood. We had now entered a more settled time and when he moved to the nursing home he had not noticed he had moved. To me this time in the assessment unit gave both of us back a more calmer and pleasant life. It was all the help he needed, the help that for the previous 7 years had not been available. It’s sad that a crisis has to happen.

So for us it was a big positive.

My husband has been in an assessment unit in hospital after crises at home - having thrown me out late one night and then becoming violent (the police had to take him to hospital). Since he has been in hospital he has developed Covid, so moved to a Covid ward. Have visited a couple of times, but it is so difficult and challenging when I go in. All he wants to do is come home, which will not be possible now. How do others cope with this? What do you say when the moment you arrive he says "I am glad you have come, now can we go home?" He "packs his bag" and is standing up to come with me. I am finding it more and more difficult to go in to see him as I know it is not really my husband, but this dreadful disease which is destroying him. How will I explain when they finally find him a care home and he has to move? How do others deal with this?

 

[Banjomansmate]

You blame it all on the medical staff!
The Dr. says he needs “more medication review”……or anything else you can come up with that relates to his circumstances . It is never your fault /choice, always lay the blame at somebody else’s door.

 

[canary]

When mum went from hospital to care home I told her she was "convalescing" somewhere that was much nicer than the hospital