I recently asked for your help to try to come up with something to help my husband with walking. I found out yesterday at his "Team Care" meeting that no walking aid is going to work for him due to his gait, his lack of balance and his lack of coordination. Most of the time when trying to walk in the walker he is "stuck" in a crouched position because he can not figure out how to get on up or sit back down. So we are left with the seat belted wheel chair that he continues to be a danger to himself and others in. He goes as fast as he can go, bangs into the walls, the furniture, other people. He simply seems to be in a blind rage. The physical therapist wrote an order that he be "walked" by staff when he is agitated. He refuses to let anyone "help him walk". He lashes out, slaps and pinches. So, where do we go from here? Put him in a padded cell and let him thrash until he kills himelf or medicate him to the point of non responsiveness. Doctors, physical therapists and myself are all at a loss. I would just like to bury my head in the sand and make it all go away.
2,4,6,8 medicate, medicate! Ehamilton, it may take some tinkering with various drugs like Seroquel or Risperdal, but it sounds like there are not any other options and this has become a real safety issue. He has to be calmed down.
Ehamilton, an antipsychotic like Risperdal would (probably) not make him non-responsive but just relieve the anxiety that often causes agitation and may be causing him to lash out. Or is he on something like that already?
Edis I was going to call my daughter and ask about your problem when she just called me. She is a therapist consultant for a large nursing home chain. Her advise is to walk him once he has calmed down. It is actually against the law to restrain the poor man in a w/c
i agree with bluedaze have them walk him at every opportunity he is able instead of strapped in a chair.
and yes a little something to take the edge off but not sedate him into a stupor can be worked out but will take some tinkering. starting out with a low dose of whatever the drs order for him. he needs it asap.
i hope it works soon. i feel so badly for the dear fella. his mind says he wants to walk and his body doesnt respond.
Well, when my husband was in that same "place", I chose to medicate him. It was a choice of him falling and breaking his nose (6 times) or drugging him. He would walk and walk and walk until he fell down....I felt that him being medicated was a better choice than watching him pacing aimlessly and falling all over the place. Since he refused to sit or lie down, we didn't even have the option of restraining him.....now you all know why I feel like his losing the ability to walk was a blessing for all concerned.
All comments appreciated. He is on Seroquel. Has been pretty much since the beginning and it was very helpful. Maybe he needs his dose increased. The physical therapist has written an order for him to be walked but I don't know how it is going to work. Here at home he didn't want anyone to "help" him. Sandi* "walk and walk and walk until he fell down" describes my husband exactly. That is why I ended up having to place him. I had to just stay away today. I couldn't stand seeing him like that anymore right now. He has been like this for over a week. I'll go back tomorrow and pray that we have a better day. Thanks for listening.
Edis, I believe his Seroquel has to be increased. Some take as much as 250 mg a day.
Ya know what's happening here. We're thinking they know - they want - they need - to walk, stand up - get out..but they don't. I am EXACTLY like you... I can speak with such knowledge and candor about the disease, that it's a degenerative brain disease, they don't "know", "it's the disease, not the man".. and then we feel bad about sedating them so they won't upset or hurt the staff that takes care of him. Just yesterday, my husband had a brief conversation with an aide. She was quite impressed. He asked HER questions, such as where do you live, are you married. Later, I mentioned the aide and he didn't recall she had come by.
We know, but we still cannot be as objective as the doctors and caregivers who come from outside. I continually want them to meet the husband I was so proud to call MINE. He's NOT HERE anymore. I, too, cannot totally accept that..even though I know it is true.
Just as I was typing (and I'm sitting next to him), he's tried to ask me where we are going tonight, who is coming over...and he is in his pj's, dressed for bedtime. He said it was time for me to go to bed, (8:15 pm) and he was going to wait up until I came to bed.
I know the Eucharistic Ministers will be here tomorrow at noon, but I will NOT tell him tonight.. He'd go to the closet and attempt to get dressed for church. I'll wait and tell him in the morning. We do not tell him anything too far in advance...to do so is asking for personal grief and repeated questions.
I would love to slip away in the morning an go to church. I definitely plan to go on All Saint's Eve. Somehow, someway. Even if I have to take him and sit on the back row. (I may give him an extra Seroquel that morning).
Our church front door is around the building from the parking area (odd) and the biggest problem is getting him to the church from there if the weather is bad. I have a transportable wheel chair.
We're entering MY OWN TIME now, after he is settled in at night. I refuse to go to bed early and miss that. It's the only "own time" I have all day long. I hope that doesn't sound mean or uncaring. I'm caring all day long. I wish someone would rub my feet and numb toes..
Nancy, my own time is after he goes to bed. We have gotten into the habit of my "finding" a program for us to watch together. After years of no using the DVR that belongs to the big (42 inch plasma) TV I've programmed a bunch of programs. I pick one I have not seen (I'm recording on my small TV as well), we watch is together and he gets ready for bed just before 8:00. I managed to keep him up until 9 in the summer, but as it got dark earlier he went back to 8.