Hi. A request for practical help here. My mom (89) lives in her own flat and has carers going in twice a day. My brother lives near-ish and goes in every other day to take food and provide company. Mom has no real stimulation, doesn't watch TV, rarely listens to the radio and cannot now concentrate or manage newspapers or puzzles. Her dementia and confusion is deteriorating quickly but until Friday she has never 'wandered' and has only left the house for doctors appts in the last 12 months +. It was a surprise to us that she left the flat on friday night, dressed, but wearing slippers, not taking keys and was very fortunately taken in by someone in the street opposite who noticed her confusion and dress and got her back home. If she had set off the other way, or an hour later, the outcome could have been much much worse. My brother has stayed with her since and is monitoring everything, food and water intake, memory, confusion etc but this isn't sustainable beyond a few days. We will be contacted by the Safeguarding Team tomorrow and will know more by then about how she has been since, but her confusion seems increased and she doesnt recognise the flat as her own.
I ask if anyone has experience of a similar situation as to whether it is likely that we will have to try all the practical solutions first - doormats that trigger alarm, personal GPS (which she won't remember to put on), installing CCTV (she doesnt have Wi-fi) etc, or whether now she has done it once it is likely that we will have to look at a Care Home as an immediate response. I know it depends on each persons circumstances and I know that Covid will not be a help in this in terms of isolation and not being able to go to a care home for say 2 week on a 'trial' basis, but would appreciate anyone's experiences before we speak to the safeguarding team tomorrow. Thanks in advance for reading this, and responding if you are able.
I ask if anyone has experience of a similar situation as to whether it is likely that we will have to try all the practical solutions first - doormats that trigger alarm, personal GPS (which she won't remember to put on), installing CCTV (she doesnt have Wi-fi) etc, or whether now she has done it once it is likely that we will have to look at a Care Home as an immediate response. I know it depends on each persons circumstances and I know that Covid will not be a help in this in terms of isolation and not being able to go to a care home for say 2 week on a 'trial' basis, but would appreciate anyone's experiences before we speak to the safeguarding team tomorrow. Thanks in advance for reading this, and responding if you are able.