Hi all. I need some help. My mom was dx w/ dementia last year - mainly short term memory, she was actually doing okay, but very repetitive and had some mounting anxiety. She also has MS. She fell 3 times in a week in Dec. Discovered she had a UTI. Begged the doctors for help, got nowhere. On Feb 5, she fell and fractured her femur. Was in ER for 24 hrs then transferred out to a SNF. She had another UTI at that time. She has essentially had them non stop since. She gets crazy vicious, yells, screams, hallucinates, is delusional, etc. Last week, the SNF decided she was competent, sent her home AMA, never called me. They emailed me at work 15 mins before 5 and I wasn't in my office. I couldn't get any help. Finally got her to the ER on Wed night, as she can't walk or stand, and I can't lift her. She was there until Sunday. Found a board and care, she blew out because she began trying to break the tv, pulling tablecloth off, etc. Back to the ER on Monday. They finally admitted her under a psych hold. She did test pos for a UTI. So she has literally had one for 6 months straight, and been in this angry, screaming mode. I keep begging the docs to do something. I think it is possible that she may have had a stroke at one point during an acting out episode. I guess my question is, any thoughts, advice, anything? I know in my heart something is wrong. Her decline is way, way too fast.
Does she act out, when she does not have a UTI?
I might seek out a geriatric psychiatrist to have her evaluated. What did they say about her after the psych hold?
Sometimes dementia can cause people to act out aggressively, but the doctors would be in the best position to make that call. And they can refer to Neurologist to check for strokes. Does she have Vascular Dementia?
1. "Discovered she had a UTI. Begged the doctors for help, got nowhere."
Who discovered the UTI? I would think it had to be diagnosed through a urine test, and that would be done by medical professionel(s).
What kind of doctors refused to help? ER? PCP? And why? Was she hospitalized at that time? Did you report any of the doctors to the AMA or state medical association? Did you report the hospitals, or contact any Ombudspersons for assistance?
Treating it would be a standard of care issue.
2. "Last week, the SNF decided she was competent, sent her home AMA, never called me. They emailed me at work 15 mins before 5 and I wasn't in my office. I couldn't get any help."
So the SNF acted against medical advice of apparently its own contracted physicians and sent her home? This seems very unusual.
Was the "competency" decision based on neurological evaluation, arising from her dementia?
Were there no discharge instructions from the SNF? Who picked your mother up from that facility?
3. "She did test pos for a UTI. So she has literally had one for 6 months straight, and been in this angry, screaming mode. I keep begging the docs to do something. "
Something really doesn't make sense here. If she's had a UTI for nearly 6 months, SOMEONE must have diagnosed it. And those "someones" had a standard of care obligation to address it.
What kind of doctors were you "begging" for treatment? Are you saying that whoever you begged refused to treat her? All of those who were "begged", for 6 months?
There must be more to this. It would help if you provide more explanations so others can help you.
Is she still on a psych hold? I hope they ll be able to get her calmed down with meds. As mentioned above, she neds a urologist. Also, probiotics sometimes help with preventing UTIs.
UTIs can make elderly people psychotic. My mother gets semi-psychotic even when she has a mild bladder infection. She turns into a zombie if the infection is more serious. The signs are unmistakable. Look around for a urologist who works often with older people. He/she might be able to figure out how to give your mother some relief. It may save her from kidney problems and sepsis, as well. Please let us know how it goes. I wouldn't try any psych treatments since it may just be UTI by itself doing it. The only thing is her doctor may want to add a mild sedative, e.g. lorazepam, to help with anxiety and sleep.