Taken to hospital

[Peterac]

On Friday evening Teresa suddenly decided that she did not live in her house and wanted to leave. She went screaming to the front door. A concerned neighbour rang the police who came. Then an ambulance came and took her away. I immediately went to hosital and evnetually fetched her back. She had returned to her child like state and was glad to see me. Now the social worker wants to talk to me. I am angry inside as I had to explain myself to the doctor at the hospital. I said to the social worker that AD changes everthing. Any one with any help in what to say to the social worker woud be helpful. Mood swings as sudden as that is alarming. I have been friend for Teresa for 25 year and this link is at the moment is very fragile. On friday it went altogether.

 

[Ruthie]

Dear Peter

It is very hard to deal with the fact that someone close to you is shouting and/or being physically agressive towards you, and that they don't seem to recognise that they are in their own home, but you must try to remember that it is the dementia talking and not the real person underneath it all. Sadly these symptoms are quite common in people with dementia, and many of us on this forum have had to come to terms with it in some way.

It is often the aggression that finally means that carers can no longer cope on their own, however much they want to continue to look after their loved one.

My advice is that you must be totally honest with the social worker about what you are able to do, and what is becoming increasingly difficult, as you are entitled to a carer's assessment, and it may lead to getting access to some help, which will mean that you can continue to care for her for longer. It may mean that she needs to be admitted to a specialist assessment unit for a while so that the doctors can find a suitable medication to help control these symptoms so that she can come home again - it won't mean that you have failed her in any way, in fact you would be doing your best for her still in trying to find a solution.

Don't try to cover up the difficult bits - we all have them and the Social worker will have heard it all before and should know what can be offered to help with the situation.

I wish you well.

Ruthie