For the elderly a hospital stay can cause disorientation leading to hallucinations, aggression and uncharacteristic moods especially if they’ve been given anesthesia. For the elderly with dementia, a hospital is even more terrifying. Trying to keep you’re loved one as calm and happy as possible can be an impossible task; after surviving about a dozen hospitalizations between my mom and dad in the last three years I’ve learned a few tricks that help relieve everyone’s stress. Here are my top four recommendations for keeping them, the staff, and yourself sane.
Educate the Staff
It’s very important the staff know your loved one has dementia and what their baseline is at home. My mother is now hard of hearing and usually will speak in Spanish when disoriented; I let the staff know she does speak English but they must speak LOUDLY in either language for her to understand. It’s also very important everyone knows about any advance directives, allergies, etc.
DVD Player
If your loved one watches the same movie or T.V. show having a portable device is immensely helpful. I bring in her Marley and Me dvd and that helps orient her back to something familiar and comfortable. I show the nurses and assistants how to work it and everyone is more than willing to help out.
Comfort Food
Unless they’re put on a restricted diet bring on the comfort food. Bringing food in from home gives them pleasure and helps keep their weight up which is always hard given the horrible food hospitals serve.
Leave the Room
After a few days of antibiotics my mom will start feeling better and agitation will set it. She will start repeating “when am I leaving”? or “the dr. just said I could go home now” the moment she sees me and won’t let up. I’ve learned the hard way that I can not reason with a person with dementia so instead I tell her that I’m going to get the nurse to arrange her release. I leave the room for 10 minutes and cross my fingers she’s out of that loop when I return. Coming back with something tasty helps too.
Every person is different and what’s worked for me may not for you. It’s all trial and error with this disease. What works one day may not the next.
I’d love to hear any tips anyone else has that can reduce the stress our loved one’s go through when hospitalized.
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