wee update for those of you following my gran's saga

eventerbabe

Well-Known Member
Dec 16, 2004
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again, thank you for all your input :) NR's expert advice on this issue has been a great help to mum and i!!

Weeellll, gran is still in the local hospital. However, her infection is under control and she now has a cathater and is a lot happier. She's also been allowed through to the dining room to eat so is getting far more interaction with other folk.

However, she had a geriatric, psychiatric evaluation the other week. This has highlighted that her short term memory is very bad. We knew this as we'd ask what she'd had for lunch that day and she wouldn't have a clue. The home assessor phoned mum yesterday and said that they were concerned about how she'd cope being back in her own flat. They basically said we need to discuss as a family the possibility of putting her in a home. I don't really know how i feel about this as i know fine well my gran plays at being an invalid as she likes the attention. she can be as sharp as a pin when she wants to be!! I think if she went into a home she'd simply rot away. Being in her sheltered flat would mean she'd have a degree of independance to keep her sharp plus the support of the warden to make sure she was eating her meals and an associated care package with appropriate helpers etc.

She's off for a brain scan in the next few weeks to see if they can find a cause for this short term memory problem. She'll also be getting her eye done that day thankfully so she hasn't had to wait too long for another appointment.

So, it's a waiting game now to see what the scan throws up. in the mean time gran is still treating the hospital like a holiday camp which is doing her no good. Because she knows there are people there to help her she's given up trying to help herself :rolleyes: :banghead:
 
I like the sound of a sheltered flat, I don't speak from experience as my nan ended up being too poorly to go into one in the end, and sadly, had to opt for the care-home (she was terminally ill at that point anyways). But, I do know of a friend of a friend who has a close relative in a sheltered flat and they do sound very good in that she has regular help coming in, but still maintains a degree of independance which is good. I think there is lots of help these days to help keep folk in their own surroundings rather than being placed in a nursing home situation (not that I have anything against them, sometimes they are the best option). Glad her infection is under control now, hopefully you'll see a vast improvement overall once it clears up.
 
Thanks for the update - interesting to hear how your Gran is doing!

Well I can see the argument from both sides I guess. More independent living sounds like a great option if she can care for herself but if her STM is that much of a problem there could be concerns for her safety if it gets worse (i.e. leaving the gas on, a door unlocked, the tap running and such like) and she isn't checked on regularly or under near constant supervision.

However, I can totally understand you not wanting her to go in a home, shoved in the chair in the corner and left to just whittle her days away. My Nan went into a care home for the last year or two of her life and I have to say, it was not a bad place. Unfortunately she was in a shared room (although the bed was often empty) but not all homes have the bad reputation we seem to hear or think of. I'm sure it could be left up to you as her family to decide which home she went in to, if you have a choice in your area. I'm sure the staff there will be wise to sneaky geriatrics like her, so if you make them aware of her ability to play on things, I'm sure they'll keep an eye out!

I hope you feel comfortable with whatever decision you make - it's not an easy one. And here's hoping that whichever you decide, Gran behaves herself!! :giggle:
 
I'm glad to hear your gran is getting better. My gran is in very sheltered housing. She was living on her own in a big house and my mum and her sisters basically became her carers. Nobody wanted her to leave her house but it just became too much. She has been in her wee flat for almost a year now and it has made a big difference. She gets one meal a day but is pretty much independent the rest of the time. She has a sensor in her room so that staff know if she is up in the morning (if not they go to check on her) and she has pull cords in all of her rooms incase she needs help. She's doing well with this set up. It has given my family peace of mind as she does have health issues. We are hoping she continues to do well as we too would hate for her to have to go into a home.

P.S. My gran has dementia, diabetes and is not very mobile but was still considered for sheltered housing.
 
where my gran lives now is sheltered housing. Like your gran martini, she's cords in all rooms and a warden who makes sure they are all up and is pretty much there 24/7. Before the psych assessment they wanted to send her home with a care package bringing in carers to help her with going her laundry and bathing. i think their concern is that she has dementia hence the brain scan. She's been a bit away with the fairies for many years now and before this, the NHS didn't give a damn. We tried getting her doctor to do an assessment like she's just had but he wouldn't. why they suddenly want to consign her to a care home makes me think they can't be bothered implementing the care package previously promised. Sorry, i'm very suspicious of the NHS as they really have failed my gran recently.
 
I've told you about my gran before I think? She's 95 and up until 2 months ago she lived in sheltered housing with careers going in 4 times a day - plus my mother going in at least once a day.

Gran has dementia - prob the same sort as you gran has, she comes across as totally with it unless you know her well.

She went into a nursing home approx 2 months ago to see whether she would like it or not, she didnt want to go at first and wouldnt even put her name down for a place, anyway - she's just completed her inital 6 week stay and loves it - didnt want to go home and luckily for her, they've said she can stay.

At the review meeting she asked if they would be much longer as she was missing a party!!:wink: She's so much more with it, no where near so tired and has even put on weight. i know my mum worried about her going into a nursing home as not all are run as well as the one she is in but it was def the right thing to do for my gran
 
^^ it's great to hear a positive story :)

i've been left with very negative impressions of care homes after my grandad on the other side of the family went into one just for respite care. They gave him any pills going, not his prescribed meds that we'd sent in with him. they didn't help him eat and he came home a dishevelled mess. I felt quite sick about it all. My grandad was far worse than my gran though, he couldn't speak for the last few years of his life and had something called lewy body syndrome/dementia. He couldn't do a thing for himself so i always felt they viewed him as an easy target to neglect.

Mum is currently persuing my uncle to demand he comes and visits her and we all have a chat about this. i think what you mention about a trail is a good idea. Here's me all doom and gloom and my gran may just love it! there is a nice nursing home in the centre of the town she lives in. Lovely views and has a good reputation.
 
Some of the nursing homes have a day centre - try and find one that does this and then she could go for the odd day and see how she goes, she may not fancy the idea of a trial period.

You do hear some horror stories of nursing homes, but there are some good ones out there. I hope that you manage to sort something out for your nan.
 
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