My MIL has been in a NH EMI Unit for the last 14 weeks. After initially seeming to settle not too badly, things have declined dramatically over the last 6 weeks or so.
We have had various concerns about the care provided in respect of lack of personal care (MIL is increasingly dishrevelled, not showered for days on end, no attempt to brush hair, stained clothing, no underwear or socks at all in her room yet she is left to dress herself somehow. Her room has sytematically been stripped of all personal possessions as apparently she transports things around the unit - she is very mobile.
There is little or nothing in the way of stimulation offered despite reassurances to the contrary and communications with the foreign nursing staff are met with silences and repeated statements that she refuses care and her behaviour is bad and upsetting the other residents. We were in the process of drafting a complaint to the NH and had gone as far as looking at alternative EMI unit when we were asked to attend a meeting with the Deputy Manager yesterday.
At the meeting we were told that staff in the EMI unit were unable to manage my MIL's behaviour. She displays aggression towards other residents and male staff (lashing out etc), aggressive bad language, constant banging, kicking and spitting on locked doors etc. She is unpredictable and the manager feels that other residents are being put at risk - 2 ladies having to eat their meals in the rooms as staff couldn't manage my MIL's behaviour in the dining room. Basically the EMI unit has asked for my MIL to be placed in a hospital assessment ward but the ward is full and we know first hand that the doctor feels this would be inappropriate for my MIL.
Nights are a big issue with my MIL routinely only sleeping for an hour or two despite night medication.
We have witnessed first hand my MIL's volatility at visits - first the bad language starts and has been directed at husband, myself and the grandchildren. She has also been rough with them, tugging at arms and legs, kicking out and being generally threatening to the extent that they are scared and I don't want to take them to visit any more.
Quetiapine has been prescribed for last 2 weeks (last antipsychotic apparently had a negative effect) and diazepam doses adjusted and the EMI unit has agreed to try this new regime despite saying that they cannot cope with her behaviour and she requires one-to-one care all the time she is awake to safeguard the other residents.
We are still a bit shell shocked being told that MIL's behaviour is too extreme for an EMI unit and don't know what we should be doing now. It seems very unlikely that any other EMI home would be willing to accept my MIL given the current circumstances yet it seems only a matter of time before something bad happens. She has fallen twice in the last three weeks. Is unsteady on her feet, wears wrong footwear on wrong feet and literally runs along the corridor.
Everything feels out of our control. We just can't believe that there is no facility that can cope.
We have had various concerns about the care provided in respect of lack of personal care (MIL is increasingly dishrevelled, not showered for days on end, no attempt to brush hair, stained clothing, no underwear or socks at all in her room yet she is left to dress herself somehow. Her room has sytematically been stripped of all personal possessions as apparently she transports things around the unit - she is very mobile.
There is little or nothing in the way of stimulation offered despite reassurances to the contrary and communications with the foreign nursing staff are met with silences and repeated statements that she refuses care and her behaviour is bad and upsetting the other residents. We were in the process of drafting a complaint to the NH and had gone as far as looking at alternative EMI unit when we were asked to attend a meeting with the Deputy Manager yesterday.
At the meeting we were told that staff in the EMI unit were unable to manage my MIL's behaviour. She displays aggression towards other residents and male staff (lashing out etc), aggressive bad language, constant banging, kicking and spitting on locked doors etc. She is unpredictable and the manager feels that other residents are being put at risk - 2 ladies having to eat their meals in the rooms as staff couldn't manage my MIL's behaviour in the dining room. Basically the EMI unit has asked for my MIL to be placed in a hospital assessment ward but the ward is full and we know first hand that the doctor feels this would be inappropriate for my MIL.
Nights are a big issue with my MIL routinely only sleeping for an hour or two despite night medication.
We have witnessed first hand my MIL's volatility at visits - first the bad language starts and has been directed at husband, myself and the grandchildren. She has also been rough with them, tugging at arms and legs, kicking out and being generally threatening to the extent that they are scared and I don't want to take them to visit any more.
Quetiapine has been prescribed for last 2 weeks (last antipsychotic apparently had a negative effect) and diazepam doses adjusted and the EMI unit has agreed to try this new regime despite saying that they cannot cope with her behaviour and she requires one-to-one care all the time she is awake to safeguard the other residents.
We are still a bit shell shocked being told that MIL's behaviour is too extreme for an EMI unit and don't know what we should be doing now. It seems very unlikely that any other EMI home would be willing to accept my MIL given the current circumstances yet it seems only a matter of time before something bad happens. She has fallen twice in the last three weeks. Is unsteady on her feet, wears wrong footwear on wrong feet and literally runs along the corridor.
Everything feels out of our control. We just can't believe that there is no facility that can cope.