Can someone please help me?

Question

Hub's Granny, is very old. She was once normal in mind, but has since been diagnosed with dementia and Alzhiemers..... We invited the social worker to come in and help us out with trying to get her into a nursing home. Ever since the social worker came for a visit, Nanna has become extremely violent. I have 3 kids and have cancer. The hospital won't help me. They claim they are not exquipt to handle mentally challenged, told me to take her to mental hospital. The mental hospital said they won't take her without referal. Her doctor is out of town and hospital will not refer without her family doc. when we called the police, we asked that they baker act her. The police would not do it, they didn't feel it was NECESSARY...OMG..She has been self mutilating her arms, tried to take a bottle of pills, soooo we called the abuse hotline...They won't help either. They made a note about our call, and told us to call back so they can keep a record if she should get violent again..cont.

Help, she has gone off her rocker??? What can I do? Why won't anyone help us??? I am afraid she is going to hurt herself or us into the night, I have not slept in 2 days.. This is not good for my own health. Please someone, I need advice, legal or otherwise..what are my rights?

There is no other family she can go to. All of her sisters have dementia, and are in same boat.

Tina M, you can don't believe me all you want..I could care less. We called the police three times. I also contacted senior care, (the social worker)

Hey there, the state police...I haven't tried them, I called the sherriff...thanks I will try that one now.

Hi there Stardust6869.. Lemme ask you a question... Do you have a cell phone with free nights and weekends on it? I will be more than happy to give you the doctors name and phone number in an email.. She does not have any back up.. no one there taking phone calls, phone service.. or anything like that. Would be happy to show proof. Just email me.. I am desparate. I will give ya the number.

Hi there Stardust6869 I sent you an email with the doc's name and phone. If you should call please come back and validate my story.. thanks..Yes I already know this whole things sounds far fetched.. so come back and validate it ok?

Hi there Stardust6869 hey the hospital? Yeah I would love to share that one with ya too.

PRAISE THE LORD! We found a place that offered to help us...but..the police would have to bring her in, and the social worker would have to be called to validate what was going on.... Looks like Monday, Hey, I will take that... Praise be.. Shands at Vista... Its a start...AMEN>AMEN>!!!

Answer 1

I don't believe you.

If you had called the police, one of the first things they would have advised you to do is contact the department of aging, or whatever department it is in your county that handles senior services to get her some help.

Answer 2

Not saying that I believe you... but just in case you are telling the truth what state do you live in...Area on aging will give you list of things to do.

Just want to say that the reason I don't believe you is If these people are saying they can't help you because her doctor is out than they should be sued. That is why we have tending physicians...for when the family doctor is away.

Why do you think so many psychiatric people can go to the emergency room and get meds within hours, doctor or no doctor, insurance or no insurance.

Here is why, because If the hospital turns them away and they walk down the street and kill themselves, who do you think is to blame?
Hmmmm, tough one....THE HOSPITAL.
They can't turn the sick away even when they are abusive.. The abusive have places to go also.
Also, you said the hospital said they are not equipped????????? Then they should have referred you to a psychiatric hospital. She should have been taken straight from that place to where she needed to be.

Answer 3

I'm so sorry for your situation. You said the regular doctor is out of town, but sometimes a doctor will designate someone to take over for them. Call the answering service and tell them it's an emergency, and they may have someone for you to call.

Can you call a social worker? Maybe they will have some advice.

Unfortunately it's the weekend, so you are probably on your own for a couple of days. Is there any way you can restrain her without hurting her? If you have a medical supplies store near you, they may have something you can buy.

Answer 4

All doctors have answering services that can reach them in an emergency. If he is the only doctor in his office, call the office and the call will automatically go to the service. They can connect the doctor who should call you back, and he can fax a referral to the hospital. Or they will tell you what doctors are covering for him. If he is in practice with other doctors, they are supposed to be covering for him. Take Granny to see one of them and they can refer her. The mental hospital has to accept her with the covering doctors referral. If they give you a problem, ask to speak with the supervisor in charge and threaten to sue if they don't take her. (If you sound like you know what you are talking about and are assertive, they will believe that you will sue - my daughter does this all the time and always gets her way. Cry if you have to - that works too!)
For more help, go to the Alzheimer's Association's website at: http://www.alzfdn.org/
I will keep you in my prayers!

Answer 5

Unfortunately, this is a sign of Alzheimers. My husband's grandmother started becoming violent. It is because they don't remember who people are at times and they are scared. At that point, her children were adviced to put her in a nursing home.
The nursing home was the safest place for her and they could administer meds with a doctors permission to calm her.

Answer 6

If she tried taking a bottle of pills, she is suicidal, dementia or no dementia. Take her to your local ER, from there they can admit her to the psychiatric hospital. Be sure to tell them that she attempted to overdose and is a self-mutilator. She can not be turned away.

Answer 7

I have no idea where you live,but normally you would take her to the emergency dept. of the nearest hospital where the attending physician would evaluate her mental status, and depending on that evaluation would determine weather she would be transported by the sheriff's dept. to the local mental hospital for emergency admission for at least 72 hours in order to stablieze her and either release her to home, or place her in a skilled nursing facility equiped to handle her case.

Answer 8

Call her Physicians office and see if there is someone covering for him. If not, and the absence is going to be extended then check with her insurance about changing to another primary care provider. Until then, try to keep her occupied, i.e. walks, trips to the store or park, special flower gardens or zoo. Keep these trips regular and remind her of them, hopefully she will start focusing on these excursions and not on the fact your trying to put her away....which may be the source of her anger.

Answer 9

I am not exactly sure what you can do, but I hope some of this helps, If she does hurt you or your family the police wont have a choice but do something with her. Call a lawyer , who is her power of attorney? if she has one contact them for help. Call the child protective They may know who to call. Look in your phone book for a listing for senior help line or look for a listing for a something related to her illness & call them for help. Sorry thats the best I can do for you. Good luck & I'm truely sorry for you & yours.

Answer 10

Have you guy's tried to get her a baby sitter?
Have you talked to her to see whether or not she recognizes your family?
If she tried committing suicide, get her put in the hospital for a 5150.
Is she taking pills, if so do they have side effects that might be playing hell on her brain.

As for you, try to get some sleep, insomnia isn't going to help you and they'll think that you're the crazy one (you're not).
Take care