Night time care

Linsac

Registered User
Aug 14, 2020
96
0
Hello Mum has been in a CH for 2 weeks respite care after coming out of a MH hospital where she was for 11 weeks. She still has no firm diagnosis but it's probable early Alzheimers. SW has done a care package which is 3 hours a day consisting of 4 visits-I think this is the most they provide. I am worried about mum at night, she lives alone and has rung me a few times totally confused as to the time of day and telling me (or rather my answer machine) that she is getting up and dressed (at 1am). Before she was admitted and sectioned, she rang the emergency services a couple of times thinking she had been kidnapped. The CH say she was disorientated when she first arrived there but now she does get up for the toilet but goes back to bed. This does happen up to 4 times a night though.

I have looked into night time care and it is ridiculously expensive-£250 for a full night. It's cheaper to have a live in carer! Do other people have their PWD living alone at night? I can't see any other way round it, she can't live with us and we have no other relatives to help out. She doesn't want or need 24 care but 3 hours after being looked after 24/7 for the last 3 months doesn't sound enough! I will be visiting every other day.
 

Weasell

Registered User
Oct 21, 2019
1,778
0
Forgive me if I Don't comment on future plans.
On the short term ( within three days) I would have a Memrable2 or ‘day clock‘ in the bedroom.
And/or a clock that shines the time at the ceiling.

Imagine you have dementia?
You fall asleep, then wake up?
I would be putting everything in place to help them get a feel for what time it is?

I love my YI camera. So cheap! and no subscription! But broadband required.

As the dementia progresses, none of the above will work.
 

TNJJ

Registered User
May 7, 2019
2,967
0
cornwall
Hello Mum has been in a CH for 2 weeks respite care after coming out of a MH hospital where she was for 11 weeks. She still has no firm diagnosis but it's probable early Alzheimers. SW has done a care package which is 3 hours a day consisting of 4 visits-I think this is the most they provide. I am worried about mum at night, she lives alone and has rung me a few times totally confused as to the time of day and telling me (or rather my answer machine) that she is getting up and dressed (at 1am). Before she was admitted and sectioned, she rang the emergency services a couple of times thinking she had been kidnapped. The CH say she was disorientated when she first arrived there but now she does get up for the toilet but goes back to bed. This does happen up to 4 times a night though.

I have looked into night time care and it is ridiculously expensive-£250 for a full night. It's cheaper to have a live in carer! Do other people have their PWD living alone at night? I can't see any other way round it, she can't live with us and we have no other relatives to help out. She doesn't want or need 24 care but 3 hours after being looked after 24/7 for the last 3 months doesn't sound enough! I will be visiting every other day.
Hello Mum has been in a CH for 2 weeks respite care after coming out of a MH hospital where she was for 11 weeks. She still has no firm diagnosis but it's probable early Alzheimers. SW has done a care package which is 3 hours a day consisting of 4 visits-I think this is the most they provide. I am worried about mum at night, she lives alone and has rung me a few times totally confused as to the time of day and telling me (or rather my answer machine) that she is getting up and dressed (at 1am). Before she was admitted and sectioned, she rang the emergency services a couple of times thinking she had been kidnapped. The CH say she was disorientated when she first arrived there but now she does get up for the toilet but goes back to bed. This does happen up to 4 times a night though.

I have looked into night time care and it is ridiculously expensive-£250 for a full night. It's cheaper to have a live in carer! Do other people have their PWD living alone at night? I can't see any other way round it, she can't live with us and we have no other relatives to help out. She doesn't want or need 24 care but 3 hours after being looked after 24/7 for the last 3 months doesn't sound enough! I will be visiting every other day.
Hi. My dad lives alone but has carers and me covering 4X a day . Seven days a week. He has no overnight care but won’t have it. He apparently has “capacity “ but is immobile and has a hospital bed at home. I worry about this but I know night care is expensive. Tbh I have bought an inflatable bed to put down on the floor as I’m expecting to him to get worse health wise. He has VD and wouldn’t remember to use his life line or mobile. It is really difficult when someone needs night care. All I can say is good luck. I hope this helps.
 

Linsac

Registered User
Aug 14, 2020
96
0
Forgive me if I Don't comment on future plans.
On the short term ( within three days) I would have a Memrable2 or ‘day clock‘ in the bedroom.
And/or a clock that shines the time at the ceiling.

Imagine you have dementia?
You fall asleep, then wake up?
I would be putting everything in place to help them get a feel for what time it is?

I love my YI camera. So cheap! and no subscription! But broadband required.

As the dementia progresses, none of the above will work.

Thank you, I am aware this return home will most likely only be temporary until the dementia progresses. Then it will have to be a CH or live in care. I bought her one of those clocks, she just can't seem to get to grips with it and tells me everyone else is in a different time zone to her as she keeps getting the time wrong! The CH have changed it to 24 hour clock and I think this is worse-she doesn't understand it. I will be looking at other clocks she can have in her bedroom.
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
Hello Mum has been in a CH for 2 weeks respite care after coming out of a MH hospital where she was for 11 weeks. She still has no firm diagnosis but it's probable early Alzheimers. SW has done a care package which is 3 hours a day consisting of 4 visits-I think this is the most they provide. I am worried about mum at night, she lives alone and has rung me a few times totally confused as to the time of day and telling me (or rather my answer machine) that she is getting up and dressed (at 1am). Before she was admitted and sectioned, she rang the emergency services a couple of times thinking she had been kidnapped. The CH say she was disorientated when she first arrived there but now she does get up for the toilet but goes back to bed. This does happen up to 4 times a night though.

I have looked into night time care and it is ridiculously expensive-£250 for a full night. It's cheaper to have a live in carer! Do other people have their PWD living alone at night? I can't see any other way round it, she can't live with us and we have no other relatives to help out. She doesn't want or need 24 care but 3 hours after being looked after 24/7 for the last 3 months doesn't sound enough! I will be visiting every other day.
You say your mum doesn't need or want full time care, I think it sounds like 24/7 care is exactly what is needed. I'm sure that's not what you want to hear , but there comes a point where her needs outweigh her wants . This sort of behaviour at night is very difficult to manage and she needs constant supervision to relieve her anxiety. My mother in law was alone at night for some time before a care home constantly phoning us at all hours. In hindsight she should have gone into care much sooner. Once there she had a whole team looking after her, the night time anxiety gone
 

Weasell

Registered User
Oct 21, 2019
1,778
0
Thank you, I am aware this return home will most likely only be temporary until the dementia progresses. Then it will have to be a CH or live in care. I bought her one of those clocks, she just can't seem to get to grips with it and tells me everyone else is in a different time zone to her as she keeps getting the time wrong! The CH have changed it to 24 hour clock and I think this is worse-she doesn't understand it. I will be looking at other clocks she can have in her bedroom.
i was thinking about something like this:


I have to confess, despite my addiction to buying every bit of technology I haven’t purchased one of these yet!
But might help? ( Long shot but at under a tenner worth a punt?)

I have to say to I am agreeing with @Rosettastone57
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Unfortunately SS will not cover night care financially because, as you have discovered, it is so expensive. The maximum that SS will offer for care at home is either 3 or 4 visits a day.

Im rather guessing that while your mum was in the CH she said she wanted to come home, so SS have sent her home with their maximum package.

I think it very likely this care will fail because she sounds like she needs someone with her 24/7 and then I think there will be no other option but a care home.
 

Linsac

Registered User
Aug 14, 2020
96
0
Unfortunately SS will not cover night care financially because, as you have discovered, it is so expensive. The maximum that SS will offer for care at home is either 3 or 4 visits a day.

Im rather guessing that while your mum was in the CH she said she wanted to come home, so SS have sent her home with their maximum package.

I think it very likely this care will fail because she sounds like she needs someone with her 24/7 and then I think there will be no other option but a care home.

Canary, I do think you are right and SS just tick the boxes to get people out of care homes and back home because she says she wants to. They have deemed she has capacity so that's it, she's going home.

Normally I would definitely go down the CH route but it is just at the moment with CV, she would be devastated not to see me, or only once a fortnight. That is the only thing that keeps her going. I just feel I have to try at home as she has not been back since she was admitted to hospital in June. SS have offered direct payments so I could set up live in care and use their funding towards it I guess.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
SS have offered direct payments so I could set up live in care and use their funding towards it I guess.
Just be aware that the price you will have been quoted assumes that the live-in carer is not disturbed at night. If they are then you will need 2 carers, one for the day and one for the night and the rate for an "awake" carer is much more than an "asleep" one. I think you also have to cover a couple of hours during the day "time off" for the carer.