Hi everyone, new poster and trying to understand Dad’s (69) progression better.
Until recently (3 months) we’d had suspicions that Dad was showing early signs of dementia but it was slow moving and he was able to look after himself (he lives alone). We were watchful and he even registered his own concerns with us (son and daughter).
Following a dizzy spell, he took himself to hospital who diagnosed him with some tiny bleeding on the brain which dissipated naturally within a couple of hours. He must have banged his head at some point.
However, the longer he spent in hospital, the worse his behaviour became and he was eventually moved to the acute injury ward, where he stayed for 70 (!) days. During that time there were multiple instances of escape attempts and physicality which increased in ferocity. A working diagnosis of LBD was determined.
The hospital tweaked his medication and he was finally given leave to join a care home on an assessment basis. Only one care home in the whole county were willing to take him due to the violence displayed.
At the care home, things deteriorated even further within two weeks. Following a successful escape (no blame to the home, he’s a large, powerful man) he ran 5km at full speed and assaulted multiple members of the public before being sequestered by the police and returned to the home. I should mention he’s not run in 25 years but somehow managed to outrun two men in their 20s on pure adrenalin.
The following day I was called to the home to assist in deescalation but, unfortunately, he attacked me with scissors (concealed until then) and a metal pipe he’d broken off his bed’s legs. No injuries thankfully but there was firm intent to maim if I had not moved fast enough.
Section 2 has followed and he is 3 days into his stay at the mental health hospital.
So far, my sister and I have received 6 calls highlighting ongoing, extreme bouts of violence against staff and other patients. And I’m probably underplaying it but the violence has included strangling and using weapons. It’s ferocious and full of intent. As a result he is now on seclusion and sedated. The staff have flagged that sometimes even the sedation is not bringing him down, such is the level of adrenaline going on.
It will doubtless surprise no one that dad was never a violent person pre-LBD and this is all very out of character. I get the impression that the hospital are also taken aback by the sheer energy of it all.
My question is whether anyone has seen this level of continuous ferocity and how long it lasted? Medically, I don’t know how long his body can last being this much on edge 24/7.
And at the heart of it, he’s petrified.
Until recently (3 months) we’d had suspicions that Dad was showing early signs of dementia but it was slow moving and he was able to look after himself (he lives alone). We were watchful and he even registered his own concerns with us (son and daughter).
Following a dizzy spell, he took himself to hospital who diagnosed him with some tiny bleeding on the brain which dissipated naturally within a couple of hours. He must have banged his head at some point.
However, the longer he spent in hospital, the worse his behaviour became and he was eventually moved to the acute injury ward, where he stayed for 70 (!) days. During that time there were multiple instances of escape attempts and physicality which increased in ferocity. A working diagnosis of LBD was determined.
The hospital tweaked his medication and he was finally given leave to join a care home on an assessment basis. Only one care home in the whole county were willing to take him due to the violence displayed.
At the care home, things deteriorated even further within two weeks. Following a successful escape (no blame to the home, he’s a large, powerful man) he ran 5km at full speed and assaulted multiple members of the public before being sequestered by the police and returned to the home. I should mention he’s not run in 25 years but somehow managed to outrun two men in their 20s on pure adrenalin.
The following day I was called to the home to assist in deescalation but, unfortunately, he attacked me with scissors (concealed until then) and a metal pipe he’d broken off his bed’s legs. No injuries thankfully but there was firm intent to maim if I had not moved fast enough.
Section 2 has followed and he is 3 days into his stay at the mental health hospital.
So far, my sister and I have received 6 calls highlighting ongoing, extreme bouts of violence against staff and other patients. And I’m probably underplaying it but the violence has included strangling and using weapons. It’s ferocious and full of intent. As a result he is now on seclusion and sedated. The staff have flagged that sometimes even the sedation is not bringing him down, such is the level of adrenaline going on.
It will doubtless surprise no one that dad was never a violent person pre-LBD and this is all very out of character. I get the impression that the hospital are also taken aback by the sheer energy of it all.
My question is whether anyone has seen this level of continuous ferocity and how long it lasted? Medically, I don’t know how long his body can last being this much on edge 24/7.
And at the heart of it, he’s petrified.
