I went to visit a multiple-level facility today: it's one of the best for knee rehab if I have my knee replaced; and it also has assisted living (so called) as well as an AZ unit. Very pretty. In the AZ unit, the residents were all sitting there in wheelchairs or chairs with walkers in front, dozing. ALL. In the other units they were moving around. It was about 11 a.m. I wonder, were they a bit drugged up?
Wow, Briegull. That sounds creepy for 11 AM. I thought most units had a "quiet hour" after lunch. But let's wait to hear from others with more acquaintance with these units.
Email me what facility Clare, then I could give you a more intelligent answer. The only positive reason would be if they had had a strenuous activity after breakfast.
In my experience, there are certain "witching hours" in a facility. Right after lunch, right after dinner and often for a lot of the afternoon. The qualifier for this is that it depends on what stage the people are in. Those in later stage 7 do sleep a lot and 11:00 a.m. would not be unusual.
When my husband was on the more active floor, everyone asleep at 11:00 a.m. would have been very unusual, where he is now with most everyone in stage 7, it is not so unusual. You may have only seen the ones that are more inactive sleeping and the more active ones were doing some activity. If they tell you they have 30 residents and 30 are lined up in a row sleeping, something isn't right.
Some evenings I walk in to see my dh and it seems like they are all lined up sleeping - it can be very eerie and sad.
My DH is home an supposedly in the Mild stage. He went back to bed about 11.00 and slept for a little over an hour. At 2.00 he went back to bed again and it is now almost 4.00. From what I have read sleeping is just part of the disease.
Seems pretty par for the course in most facilities esp AD.
we spend down, give up all financial security, apply for medicaide,-( thus paying them 6K+/mo) and they sleep in wheelchairs most of the day medicated- i saw it also at the facility my dad was in. they were all parked sleeping in hallways where the staff would occasionally make sure they were still breathing. divvi
I visit my husband about the same time of day. Some days are like the dead sea with them all snoozing, other times they are up and raring to go. No logical reason
My sentiments exactly, Lois. And it's $6695! My idea was to put him in there for the time I would be in the hospital, the time I'm in rehab there in that same building, and possibly a little longer (it's cheaper by the month than the week). Then take him home. Another alternative is to have people come out twice a day to give me rehab and hire people in to take care of both of us but I'm not sure that would be as good for me and it might cost about the same.
I have a family friend with AD and her kids are paying $10.00 an hour around the clock to 2 private family friends caregivers. This comes to around 7,000 a month. They are past the 2 year mark now but Hospice is now also on board. I think your recovery might be less eventful if you both were in the facility. It would be a individual call on the circumstances at the time.
This is a generalization--but what I have heard is that if there's a choice between residential placement vs. home care, the patient will receive much better care at home. If round the clock help is hired, as Imohr pointed out, it may cost as much or more--but may be worth it because of the indivdualized attention. Of course, not every patient's cirumstances/symptoms will allow them to stay at home. But if you've read "Dancing With Rose" you can understand how the facilities' direct care workers are overworked and underpaid.
(This may be OT from Briegull's situation--I realize she's talking about a specific problem.) Has there ever been a thread that compared the merits of each alternative?
Several years ago I used to take my little dog to an AD facility to visit and at 11am most of them were sitting there asleep. But when I'd wake them up for a few seconds it was worth it to see the smile on their faces as they greeted the dog. One man used to smile and say, "You're a cute little fella, yes you are!" He'd have a big smile on his face until he fell asleep again.
Honestly, I used to think they were all drugged, when my MIL was in a NH but my DH sleeps so much, I now think it's just part of the disease. He gets up at noon, has brunch, does a few things Like watch a movie or something, then off to sleep til dinner, stays up til 10 or 10:00 then off to sleep till noon. every day, pretty much without fail. I guess it's just normal for him.
The place where my dh is gives very good care. I compare it to just about what I would do at home. What they have that I cannot provide is a large space that he can maneuver the wheel chair around in by himself. There is also a lot more coming and going that he can watch and be stimulated by. Early on in the disease, I realized that I am a terrific loving caring wife for him but am not really equiped to be a good hands-on caregiver. I am also a terrific advocate for his care and constantly checking on him. When I am with him, I am usually able to focus on him. If he was home, I would have all the stuff around the house that needs doing also taking my attention.
PrisR - I have taken my oldest dog to visit my dh at the facility. He is at a point where he doesn't really react any more to the dog but many of the other residents truly enjoy her visits. The staff love her because she is very well behaved when visiting. She does so well, that I plan on continuing to bring her with me. Even if he doesn't know it, if she brings joy to some of the hearts there, that is good.
I did hear a story one time passed on by a NH nurse about how at 4:00 all the residents of that particular facility got an ativan to help with sundowning.
My husband is in a facility and he "dozes" a lot. If you would walk in and look at him, he appears to be asleep, but all it takes is a touch on the arm or a softly spoken word and he is bright eyed and bushy tailed. He did the same thing at home. Some of it is bordom, I think, and a lot of it is the disease.
My husband is at early stage 6. Definitely not at the sleep all day stage, but he is STILL sleeping a lot more than he ever did before. And occasionally that includes naps in the daytime. In addition to close to 11 hours of sleep at night.
I've also visited a neighbor's ASL. The people there that are sicker than she is, but are still not nursing home patients (and not all dementia patients) frequently are napping in the living room areas. The ones who needed help dressing and bathing are all tired out and they are waiting on a meal when I've arrived in the past.
I wouldn't take it for granted that the sleeping is the result of being drugged.