One of the most consistent pieces of advice I have been given about dealing wih a dementia patient is that you have to join them in THEIR world. This is o am sure very good advice. What no-one can advise me about is how to cope if their fantasy is potentially harmful to them.
Today Edna was in a state when I got there. She was very agitated and told me that the three biro's I had taken in for her on Saturday had all vanished. I did manage to find two of them in the seat of her walker. While she was relieved I found them, there was then the inevitable question - how did they get in there? I didn't attempt to answer that but themn got treated to an account of all the tings that had gone missing (her bag, her cardigan, the pens, her purse) only to all turn uo unbder mysterious circumstances. Edna is convinced someone is playing tricks on her - and possibly on other patients in the ward. And she is upset and wants to know why - and she thinks it is the staff. I don;t feel 'entering the fancy' when it undermines her confidence in the staff looking after her is a good idea.
Today she had a diatribe against her consultant for accusing her of putting on symptoms for his benefit. Worryingly she was also convinced I had been on the ward laste one evening in a nurses uniform. When I tried to re-assure her it hadn't been me that I wouldn't ignore her her comment was 'You are very convincing at times Sally' said in a tone that left me in no doubt she didn't beleive me.
Today I have been going over horribly familiar ground with her. 'No-one can force me to say in hospital if I don't want to' At least you agree with me this is a hopsital' I want to do some business at Lloyds that concerns you' (I think she thinks she is changing her will - but has forgotten she told me to take it out of Lloyds and keep it for her)
She was very out of touch with reality today . I felt so unhappy that we were re-running scenes that first played weeks ago at West Heath. We even went to back her wuerstioning why she was in hopsital in the first place.
I have managed a phone call to social services today. Edna's social worker is on leave but I spoke to the duty social owrker who looked at the file and told me there had been no developments in Edna's case so nothing was being discussed about her discharge.
I feel everything took a step backwards today and I to say I am dissappointed is putting it mildly
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