Hi, I'm new here so will explain my situation. My 98yr old mother in law went into a care home in October last year and has unspecified dementia which has deteriorated rapidly during the COVID-19 lockdown. Prior to that, I had been her main carer, organising all her medical needs, laundry, shopping and visiting her in sheltered housing nearly every day along with our daughter who did her cleaning and shopping. In the end, though she was needing carers 4/5 times a day, plus our visits and night times were becoming problematic so after a 2 week stay in respite care when we went on holiday, she asked herself if she could go into care permanently as she realised how much safer she felt while in respite.
Although she was a little forgetful when she first went into the care home, she was otherwise able to think pretty clearly, have a great conversation with us on the phone every day and enjoyed joking with the care staff. Sadly she has no mobility so is confined to her chair in her room pretty much all of the time and has been since 10th March. The care staff care for her well but unfortunately don't seem to have the time or resources to spend much time with individual residents to stimulate them and do all the little things that me and the rest of the family used to do during our, then, daily visits. (The care home is large with 100 rooms)
In July, she got very agitated about being "held prisoner" and started calling the police to come and rescue her and take her home. The police would contact the home to check with them and then it became a daily occurrence so we felt we had to do something but didn't want to take her phone away as it was her lifeline to us, especially during COVID. I phoned the police to discus it with them and they were great and said that they understood and didn't mind and it was part of their job, however I thought there must be another way to stop or reduce this.
I found these photo phones and it has been a perfect resolution which the care home have also been grateful for. The main phone, which you have to have, has been hidden away from mum's reach, but she has the handset by her chair which only has four possible numbers to call which you program in. We just have myself, my husband, our daughter and son and have inserted pictures onto each button so she knows who to call. It is an amplified phone so also helps for those with hearing problems.
Geemarc Amplidect295 Photo
Geemarc Photodect295
I have not been able to provide links as I am new to posts but an internet search should locate them via various suppliers.
I hope this might help someone in a similar situation or that the phones could also just be useful with the photos to help family with dementia to know who to call without remembering numbers.
It is so tough not visiting, holding hands, hugging and reassuring!! I hope you are all coping, I'm finding it increasingly hard. ❤
Although she was a little forgetful when she first went into the care home, she was otherwise able to think pretty clearly, have a great conversation with us on the phone every day and enjoyed joking with the care staff. Sadly she has no mobility so is confined to her chair in her room pretty much all of the time and has been since 10th March. The care staff care for her well but unfortunately don't seem to have the time or resources to spend much time with individual residents to stimulate them and do all the little things that me and the rest of the family used to do during our, then, daily visits. (The care home is large with 100 rooms)
In July, she got very agitated about being "held prisoner" and started calling the police to come and rescue her and take her home. The police would contact the home to check with them and then it became a daily occurrence so we felt we had to do something but didn't want to take her phone away as it was her lifeline to us, especially during COVID. I phoned the police to discus it with them and they were great and said that they understood and didn't mind and it was part of their job, however I thought there must be another way to stop or reduce this.
I found these photo phones and it has been a perfect resolution which the care home have also been grateful for. The main phone, which you have to have, has been hidden away from mum's reach, but she has the handset by her chair which only has four possible numbers to call which you program in. We just have myself, my husband, our daughter and son and have inserted pictures onto each button so she knows who to call. It is an amplified phone so also helps for those with hearing problems.
Geemarc Amplidect295 Photo
Geemarc Photodect295
I have not been able to provide links as I am new to posts but an internet search should locate them via various suppliers.
I hope this might help someone in a similar situation or that the phones could also just be useful with the photos to help family with dementia to know who to call without remembering numbers.
It is so tough not visiting, holding hands, hugging and reassuring!! I hope you are all coping, I'm finding it increasingly hard. ❤
