dementia and hospitals

[mocha]

Hi Everybody,
I'm afraid I haven't been on for quite a while.
I have had quite a big job done on the house and my computor was out of commission for quite a while.

I'd like to know if anybody has had the same experiance I am now going through.
Ron went into hospital from the nursing home 2 weeks ago with a gastric infection. The only extra medication they gave him was a drip to rehydrate. No drugs. Since he came home last Saturday, he has really gone downhill. His mouth is slack, head down on chest and has difficulty getting out of a chair and walking.

Before the hospital he walked around freely.
I do hope someone can tell me that he will hopefully improve.
The Doctor is going to see him Friday to take blood and urine samples to see if the infection is still there.

Aileen

 

[sue38]

Hi Aileen,

I'm afraid you have experienced the same problems my dad had in May when he was hospitalised for an infection. He was on a 'normal' ward where they were very kind, but had no idea how to care for someonw with dementia. My dad was going downhill within a few days, and we had to move heaven and earth to get him home. He did return to the way he was before hospitalisation after a few days.

I'm sorry to hear Ron has deteriorated after his stay in hospital. I think you're right to make sure that there is no infection, but other than that I can only suggest that you give it time...

Is Ron still on Ebixa?

 

[Lynne]

Hello Aileen

I'm sorry that Ron has been so drastically affected by his spell in hospital but, as I am sure you know, any change is traumatic to a dementia sufferer (and, by consequence, their family/carers)

I'm not quite sure from your post whether Ron has 'come home' to your own home, or the nursing home he was in before hospital. If it is your own home, then that's 3 locations he's been moved between in quite a short period, which may account for his additional difficulties.

Whilst he was in Hospital, he was probably not encouraged to get up & walk around. In fact the reverse was probably the case, so as to avoid falls & extra work for hospital staff. Likewise, it is quite possible no-one had much time to talk to him, or provide him with any mental stimulus.
You say that he has had no additional drugs whilst in hospital, but are you sure that he was given any dementia drugs he was already on (eg Aricept, Ebixa) regularly.

I'm sorry that I don't have any comparable experience to relate, but I think I would be making enquiries along these lines.

I hope he picks up soon, and that there is no further infection present.

 

[Skye]

Hi Aileen

Sorry to hear this. It sounds to me as if it's the result of the infection, and that it hasn't been completely eradicated.

I had a similar experience with John. His was a UTI, but the effects were similar.

You need to check if he was given antibiotics, and if so, did they test for the specific antibiotic. They often just use a generic AB, which may or may not work, and often doesn't.

Please get Ron tested at once, and insist that they culture all samples, so that they can target the specific infection.

Untreated infections can cause enormous neurological damage, as they did with John. Most people however do recover to where they were before, so don't give up hope.

Of course, I could be completely wrong, and there might be another cause altogether.

Love,

 

[jc141265]

I do hope someone can tell me that he will hopefully improve.

Just posting to say it can happen. Dad was unable to walk a year ago, now he can walk a kilometre without breaking a sweat. Hospitals and some care homes care can lead to the person not getting enough physical exercise so that all of their muscles become weak from disuse (and if they have been lying down for weeks that is not just the legs but also neck and torso muscles). With Dad we just worked on him like a rehabilitation person would, ensuring he used his muscles as much as they would allow him each day...gradually building upon what he could do each day. First we could only get him to sit up whilst being held up, then we managed to get him to stand for a few seconds a day, then a few minutes, then it was a few steps, and so on and so forth.

However as Hazel advised if he is still suffering from an infection of sorts that needs to be cleared from his body with the appropriate antibiotics or it will continue to debilitate him.

Best wishes to you, I hope Ron does improve, with some good care from you.

 

[mocha]

Hospitals and Dementia

Hi Sue and other kind carers,
Yes Ron is still on Ebixa and Aricept and I did check with the sister that he was getting them because the only way to get him to take them is in a little chocolate spread or jam.
He was only in hospital 5 days and the first 3 when he wasn't well I stayed nearly all day. Of course he wasn't fit to walk around. He came back to the N.H on the 20th Oct. and except for being sleepy he didn't seem any different until last Sunday.
It's heartening to hear that people have picked up again.
fingers crossed. He's only 74 so I don't feel he is an old man.
It's our Golden Wedding next Valentine's Day. So I'll move Heaven and Earth.

Love Aileen