← Return to Caregiver: Dealing with delirium, confusion after long hosptial stay

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@becsbuddy

@greatwhitenorthgal. This is a really tough situation you’re in. The basic question you should ask yourself is “is dad safe” at home. He doesn’t take his meds, he doesn’t eat, he gets up at night and wanders outside, etc. When I worked as a nurse, we reported everything to the social workers/discharge planners, who, with the family, made decisions. I’m sorry the social worker thought that home was best because it’s a familiar and happy place to be. Yes, it is, but is he safe? Are you safe?
Is there an Agency on Aging in your town? Can you contact them to see what is available?

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Replies to "@greatwhitenorthgal. This is a really tough situation you’re in. The basic question you should ask yourself..."

Hi Becky, thank you for your reply.

I am not sure if he is safe at home. He's able to climb the stairs and use the washroom on his own, however, I've noticed some incontinence issues lately. He also doesn't bathe, his last shower was in mid-March only because a PSW was assigned to him. He hated that so much that he forced me to cancel it. He might've brushed his teeth twice since returning home from the hospital in March as well.

He can get himself dressed but his shirts are usually inside out and he usually puts on two pairs of pants and two shirts/sweaters. He fidgets around with items, misplaces things all the time. Today he washed the dishes, including an avocado seed that was in the sink, as well as two leaves from a flower in the kitchen. He sometimes goes to the basement and knocks on the tenants' door looking for a box of tissues, truly believing we keep our tissue boxes in the tenant's apartment.

I hate to say it but the worst part of all this is the fact that I don't know how to handle it. I don't know how to redirect him when he's confused without irritating him. I don't know how to let go of my stress because I am now stressed 24/7, I even had a panic attack in my sleep a few nights ago! I suddenly woke up with my heart racing and feeling as though I couldn't breathe.

If he gets worse and worse over time, I will need to look for other options to help him and to help myself. But as of right now, I have no idea what to do.