Scabies

[Chris Edgerton]

My mothers elderly mentally infirm (EMI) care home has a case of scabies; one known at the moment.

Any other persons have experience of scabies in a care home?

 

[Grannie G]

That is really scary Chris.

Have you tried to establish whether it was brought in by a new admission or developed in the home. It might be difficult finding the source, but I`d want to try.

Take care xx

 

[Kathleen]

Yes, I was working in a rest home when a resident brought scabies home from hospital with him.

It is a mite that lives just under the skin and causes horrible itching.

All the staff plus the residents that had been in close contact with him were given medicated lotion that was applied to the whole body and showered off 24 hours later, it is very contagious.

Hopefully, the resident has been quarantined and the staff in close contact have been taking precautions too.

Kathleen

 

[Áine]

I've always found it a bit of a mystery. My dad had scabies, years before he had dementia. They said he'd got it through physical contact with someone who had it .... but dad at that time had physical contact with no one (sad in itself, but true). We didn't know what it was at first, and it had really taken hold on him, he was absolutely covered in it. The GP had him in hospital, and I sat holding his hand and looking after him for several days until they worked out what it was. I never got it.

The most alarming thing was that dad was so infected with it it made him very confused and hallucinating - stuff I came to see as normal when he got dementia, but it was one hell of a shock at the time.

 

[Grannie G]

The daughter of a friend left home and lived rough as a farm hand in France. She caught scabies there, but from who or what I`ve no idea.