Dear Mark,
The things you describe about your father are troubling, and very hard on you,
your sister, the staff--even on him. Do you think you and he can tough it
out to see if things settle down in a week or three, as someone suggested?
ANY change like this is VERY upsetting and disorienting to someone whose
grip on reality may be tenuous at best. What is your sister's take on it
all? Can she tolerate the repeated calls--and would he be content to leave
her essages on an answering machine,perhaps? If his grip on reality is
weak, he might forget about the call after he had made it. It does sound
as though the facility isn't too well-equipped to deal with someone with
his problems, but they may do better
when/if he settles down. Have you access to a social worker there who might
be able to advise?
You are being an advocate for him, and that's great--tho hard on you. You
said something about the effect of his problems on your mother,also
there--and that staff were negative toward him because of it. That's
another complication,for sure. After an appropriate time of testing , it
may be that he will prove to need a different setting, where the level of
care is more adequate for his needs--if that happens, try to look at it in
that way, as a better choice to help him. Keep us informed, please.
>It's been very tough. My father walked into the hospital seven weeks
>ago in a psychotic state and now spends most of his day in a wheelchair,
>after having to stop most of the meds he was taking.
Camilla [log in to unmask]
Oxford,Ohio
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*"In all beginnings, endings lie enfolded,*
* implicit and invisible as roots."...CHF *
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