I thought (regretfully now) that by calling an ambulance because of a feared neck problem that this would have helped my wife Who suffered from Early Onset Dementia for the last five years.
She had reached the stage where she had stopped eating proper food and ate only chocolate, (which got all over her clothes she was wearing) n also where she refused to let me take care of her by washing n changing her clothes, and was incontinent but wouldn't wear any incontinence pads or pants.
When the paramedics arrived they both with my help washed n changed her clothes before taking her to hospital.
At the hospital a lot of tests were carried out including bloods taken, from my wife's groin as there weren't enough veins they could take the blood from.
With all that was happening to her n her bewilderment at was was going on it was something that because of her condition she was unable to take in fully. One minute she had woken up at home that day as 'normal' had some chocolate n was doing things she did each day, walking n eating chocolate, next thing she is in hospital n unable to comprehend why.
My wife was admitted to hospital that night and was taken up to EAU overnight. When I arrived next morning she was having breakfast and eating by being fed by someone, which surprised me very much. As usual as she did at home after breakfast she walked up n down the length of the corridors there.
She was transferred upstairs to Eastthorpe ward a few days later, the first night I was told I couldn't stay with her beyond 8pm that night, n reluctantly I had to go home but I checked twice by phone once home that she was ok.
The following night I stayed beyond 8pm to be with her n walk with her till late and I slept with her (on top of her bedclothes) every night (even though it was an all women ward) from then on n fed her each day as staff knew nothing about her walking or that she could no longer remember how to feed herself, because they hadn't read her file that came up with her from EAU!!
They didn't seem to know much about dementia as I told them the walking is a part of it. They seemed to treat her as a 'normal' patient at meal times by putting her food near her bed on the table n telling her her food was there n to eat it, that was until I told the person providing meals she can't remember how to feed herself, n that person then changed how she treated my wife at meal times from then on. I stayed with my wife all the time, walking, feeding her n sleeping with her on top covers so she had no need to worry or be frightened whilst there right up to when she was released home a month later.
It's easy to feel or believe that the staff have read the file, and they know the patient has dementia n know what they do 'normally' cos of the condition, n what they can n can't do for themselves, but as in my wife's case nothing could be further from the truth as they hadn't!. Hospitals are frightening places as my wife found from coming from a quiet house to a very busy noisy n frightening place made more frightening by her condition, no wonder she would tell me each day that she wanted to go home, which I said she would n eventually did.
Check always that staff are aware of your loved ones condition n know what to expect, dementia sufferers are very vulnerable in hospital n their care n how they are treated is important.
She had reached the stage where she had stopped eating proper food and ate only chocolate, (which got all over her clothes she was wearing) n also where she refused to let me take care of her by washing n changing her clothes, and was incontinent but wouldn't wear any incontinence pads or pants.
When the paramedics arrived they both with my help washed n changed her clothes before taking her to hospital.
At the hospital a lot of tests were carried out including bloods taken, from my wife's groin as there weren't enough veins they could take the blood from.
With all that was happening to her n her bewilderment at was was going on it was something that because of her condition she was unable to take in fully. One minute she had woken up at home that day as 'normal' had some chocolate n was doing things she did each day, walking n eating chocolate, next thing she is in hospital n unable to comprehend why.
My wife was admitted to hospital that night and was taken up to EAU overnight. When I arrived next morning she was having breakfast and eating by being fed by someone, which surprised me very much. As usual as she did at home after breakfast she walked up n down the length of the corridors there.
She was transferred upstairs to Eastthorpe ward a few days later, the first night I was told I couldn't stay with her beyond 8pm that night, n reluctantly I had to go home but I checked twice by phone once home that she was ok.
The following night I stayed beyond 8pm to be with her n walk with her till late and I slept with her (on top of her bedclothes) every night (even though it was an all women ward) from then on n fed her each day as staff knew nothing about her walking or that she could no longer remember how to feed herself, because they hadn't read her file that came up with her from EAU!!
They didn't seem to know much about dementia as I told them the walking is a part of it. They seemed to treat her as a 'normal' patient at meal times by putting her food near her bed on the table n telling her her food was there n to eat it, that was until I told the person providing meals she can't remember how to feed herself, n that person then changed how she treated my wife at meal times from then on. I stayed with my wife all the time, walking, feeding her n sleeping with her on top covers so she had no need to worry or be frightened whilst there right up to when she was released home a month later.
It's easy to feel or believe that the staff have read the file, and they know the patient has dementia n know what they do 'normally' cos of the condition, n what they can n can't do for themselves, but as in my wife's case nothing could be further from the truth as they hadn't!. Hospitals are frightening places as my wife found from coming from a quiet house to a very busy noisy n frightening place made more frightening by her condition, no wonder she would tell me each day that she wanted to go home, which I said she would n eventually did.
Check always that staff are aware of your loved ones condition n know what to expect, dementia sufferers are very vulnerable in hospital n their care n how they are treated is important.