EMI , Low Sodium, falls

[Goggins]

HI
My Dad was diagnosed in March of this year. He was OK at home with a family Rota of support. In October he suddenly took a massive turn for the worse and was admitted to hospital. He was delirious agitated and very confused. He literally ‘fell off a cliff’ in terms of symptoms overnight. Brain scans confirms no additional issue. They confirmed his sodium levels were low at 125. He was in hospital for three weeks and then moved to respite while we tried to find a longer term solution. Given his deterioration the respite residential home couldn’t cope and we had to move him to EMI care (not nursing) His mobility’s has massively deteriorated and he’s is getting more agitated and hardly makes any sense any more . He will not go to bed and so he is sleeping in a recliner downstairs. He’s is causing issues with the other residents and now GP and emi home manger have said he had to go back into hospital as they can’t cope with him as he is. Neither of them think it’s the dementia that has caused this sudden change. They think it’s his sodium. His sodium is now 129 up from 125 due to strict fluid balance but don’t know underlying cause. He’s falling almost daily now as he keeps getting up. He was in hospital on 22nd December following a fall but sent back to the emi home as medically fit for discharge back What happens in this situation if emi can’t cope?
Sorry it’s a long post

 

[canary]

There will be somewhere for him @Goggins.
If the EMI home refuse to accept him back then the hospital Social Worker will have to find somewhere that will

 

[sinkhole]

I spoke to someone a few months back who's mother was diagnosed with low sodium and had symptoms similar to the ones you're describing, so I'd say it's very possible although there can always be other causes. My mother had gone through a phase of having falls at the time so I did think it could have applied to her, but shortly after she had blood tests done and the only thing that brought up was a folic acid deficiency.

Body chemistry is very complex and if you add dementia in there as well (which my mother has now been diagnosed with) it can be difficult even for professionals to give an accurate diagnosis.
One thing I would say is that a second opinion is something you should consider regarding any decisions being made - medical, SS, care home or whatever. There's a big variation when it comes to the quality of advice given in my experience.