So I went on Tuesday for the usual visit and when she knows I am coming she will sit in a chair so she can see when I arrive. After booking in with temp check I went up to the relevant window and tapped on the window so the Carer could see me. He opened one of the Patio doors where I sit outside and he said Mum was not herself since he arrived at 8am. He had advised Nurse. Mum was sitting on the sofa and he tried to move Mum to a chair nearer the door where I was but she was almost like a dead weight and totally ‘spaced out’. He made her snug with lots of blankets and I got a half smile from her but she kept drifting of to sleep. He told me what her notes said and apparently Mum had got up at 7.30 her usual time and got dressed and come to the lounge area herself where she was when he arrived. He said Mum was one of his favourites along with another chap who also has dementia but he was visibly upset as he said he had seen both of them deteriorate so much through lockdown. I really appreciated his honesty as I felt the same but I think sometimes the Care Home thinks they know best and try and protect us with platitudes. So totally against the rules he gave me some hand sanitiser to use (I was already wearing a mask) and said some in and give your Mum a hug and he would watch along the corridor. Rightly or wrongly I seized the opportunity and I gave Mum a gentle hug and then held her hand for a few minutes. I went back outside and tried to get Mum talking as she just looked very dopey. just as we were going to chase the nurse up to come down again (He had also had 2 other residents just starting to stir at this time) Mum suddenly picked up and drank her tea and started eating her toast which he had left near her. After that she was fine. Rang back in the afternoon and apparently she had been fine for the rest of the day.
yesterday morning the Senior Carer rang me to say they were trying to contract the GP as they thought Mum was having some fainting fits. I said what I had seen yesterday morning did not appear to be just a fainting fit (see comment earlier!!!). I said although I was not an expert obviously could it be something like a TIA and Carer said possibly but she would let me know what GP said. GP apparently did a meds review and thought Mum’s dose of Trazodone was too high so has halved it. I am not convinced but what do I know. They will see what happens with regards to the fainting but also see if her aggression increases with the Trazodone reduction.
yesterday morning the Senior Carer rang me to say they were trying to contract the GP as they thought Mum was having some fainting fits. I said what I had seen yesterday morning did not appear to be just a fainting fit (see comment earlier!!!). I said although I was not an expert obviously could it be something like a TIA and Carer said possibly but she would let me know what GP said. GP apparently did a meds review and thought Mum’s dose of Trazodone was too high so has halved it. I am not convinced but what do I know. They will see what happens with regards to the fainting but also see if her aggression increases with the Trazodone reduction.