19th February 2008
Dear fellow caregiver,
I am a new "member". This is my first reply.
I squirmed when you said that the staff were going to use a restraint
and tie your Mom to the rails. Very unusual nursing care. Restraints are
always a last resort. To me, Chemical Restraints (medications) are among
the worst.
My AD experience has been with both my husbands parents, at different
times (consecutively) and now my husband is in the early stages and still
home and very coherent and cooperative. He's been on Aricept for almost 5 years.
Neither of my in-laws were chemically restrained, but now, a friend's
husband is in terrible condition because he was "dosed" to the nines on his admission to the facility he is in. Nothing else was tried, he was not given a chance to even adjust to the new placement before he was drugged with buspirone, seroquil, valproic acid (depakene), Chloral hydrate and ativan. He had previous experience with some of these meds. and did not respond as expected. Two different doctors sent reports when F. was admitted to the facility saying he was not to be medicated because he did not respond well to (all the things they had tried on him were listed) them.
These are chemical restraints and now he is unable to stand, walk, feed himself or toilet himself, all of which he was able to do on admission in August of 2007.
Tie type restraints are also dangerous, some have actually resulted in death due to the person trying to escape them and choking etc.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but these are my very strong feelings. I do hope that your Mom fares better, and is able to sleep safely.
Be aware that restraints are not a good excuse for lack of staffing.
Wishing you well, Ginny
I am a new "member". This is my first reply.
I squirmed when you said that the staff were going to use a restraint
and tie your Mom to the rails. Very unusual nursing care. Restraints are
always a last resort. To me, Chemical Restraints (medications) are among
the worst.
My AD experience has been with both my husbands parents, at different
times (consecutively) and now my husband is in the early stages and still
home and very coherent and cooperative. He's been on Aricept for almost 5 years.
Neither of my in-laws were chemically restrained, but now, a friend's
husband is in terrible condition because he was "dosed" to the nines on his admission to the facility he is in. Nothing else was tried, he was not given a chance to even adjust to the new placement before he was drugged with buspirone, seroquil, valproic acid (depakene), Chloral hydrate and ativan. He had previous experience with some of these meds. and did not respond as expected. Two different doctors sent reports when F. was admitted to the facility saying he was not to be medicated because he did not respond well to (all the things they had tried on him were listed) them.
These are chemical restraints and now he is unable to stand, walk, feed himself or toilet himself, all of which he was able to do on admission in August of 2007.
Tie type restraints are also dangerous, some have actually resulted in death due to the person trying to escape them and choking etc.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but these are my very strong feelings. I do hope that your Mom fares better, and is able to sleep safely.
Be aware that restraints are not a good excuse for lack of staffing.
Wishing you well, Ginny