What can be expected from Memory Care facility when dealing with other clients wandering into random client's rooms during night?

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What can be expected from Memory Care facility when dealing with other clients wandering into random client's rooms during night?

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I am screening various Memory Care facilities for my Mom with vascular dementia and have heard horror stories of patients wandering into other patients rooms at any hour of the night, while they are sleeping. What is the typical/expected way to prevent this? My Mom would never sleep again if this happened to her.

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Unfortunately, this is something that happens in most facilities. My mother actually used to get into bed with other residents. They have no evil intent; they are just confused. My mother also used to “borrow” things from the nurse’s station and other rooms. When I found something in her room, I’d take it to the nurse who found out who it belonged to and retuned it. People also used to come into my mom’s room and lie down in the extra bed in there. My mom didn’t think anything of it. She didn’t feel threatened and just accepted it. When you’re dealing with a group of confused and delusional people, things happen. That’s why there are more aides and nurses in the Memory Care Unit.

There are call buttons in every room. There are aides and nurses in the hallways 24/7 keeping an eye on their patients. Mom can always call out as well if she’s uncomfortable.

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Ahmijoy makes some good points. I think it might be more common with residents who have dementia and are confused. My LO's MC has video cameras in the hallways, so, they would spot someone who is in the hall after bedtime. There is staff on duty all night, monitoring the residents, especially those in the MC units.

I went to visit my LO one time in MC and there was a lady, who was not her roommate lying on her bed asleep in the day time. My LO didn't mind at all. She saw her and was able to talk about it, but, it didn't bother her at all. I went and told a staff member and they got her up and out. She just got confused. If someone had been in the bed, she'd likely have moved on, realizing it was taken.

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I can see problems with that, since there is always the risk of spreading germs or even bed bugs. Hope they changed the sheets for your LO.

I wonder why they can't install Dutch doors that the staff can open easily but the patients cannot?

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The "horror stories" are true. It does happen (it has happened to my mother) but it can be easily remedied by getting a nurse to remove the patient. All patients have access to calling the nurse. Some patients are too confused to do this. It is well known that dementia suffers have a tendency to "wander" or walk around in a pattern. Unfortunately, this means entering someone's room on occasion.

It is impossible to lock the doors of patient rooms to prevent this as this would be a safety/fire hazard issue. A confused patient can not unlock a door. Maybe you could ask if they could put a "baby gate" in the doorway of your mother's room. However, they have to comply with fire codes and that may not be possible and it may be considered a "restraint" or a tripping hazard.

Most places have cameras in hallways and staff do hourly checks. "Wandering", unfortunately, is something that has to be dealt with if you are going to place your loved one in memory care. As you can see, there is no "prevention".

At some point YOUR mom may be the one who's going into other rooms. We all have to take it in stride. This is typical behavior of dementia patients.

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My dad developed a pretty fair coping skill - he just tells anyone who comes in his room that they belong next door. It gets them out of his room...

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When I was at Moms NH the other morning I saw yellow caution tape strung across a residents doorway. When I asked “Is Betty OK? Is she in quarantine?” They said “No, it’s to keep Helen out of Betty’s room at night. She tends to roll in there sometimes and it scared Betty. So the caution tape keeps her out. It will only take a couple of days for Helen to stop doing it”. Maybe they could try this at night.

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Yes, I agree with previous comments. Residents in Memory Care Unit will visit and "shop" in other's rooms. There are no locks on the doors, likely for safety reasons. It is the culture, it is a way of life in Memory Care Unit. While visiting my wife in MC during the day, I have had to re-direct residents who have lost their way. One did get in my wife's bed, You just call staff for assistance. At night, it can be alarming. One can always yell out for assistance or kindly re-direct the wander. There are call-buttons in the rooms.

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I worked as a speech pathologist in nursing home for 20+ years.
Lot of facilities use a banner or strap across the doorway that has a Stop Sign on it. It is attached with Velcro so can come off easily. It seemed to really work for most wandering.
Some memory care units have 4 beds in one room with only privacy curtains between them. There is not much you can do about that.
Usually by that stage in their dementia only redirection will work.
Nothing about dementia is easy.

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I think this is probably more troublesome to you than it will be to her.
Yes, if she were fully aware of "who she is, where she" is then yes she would be freaked out but she is not fully aware of "who she is, where she is" and her surroundings. If she were you would not be looking for Memory Care facilities.
I think what I am trying to say is you are thinking with a clear mind and your Mom is in a different world.
She will get used to a lot of things. Noises at night, staff may walk in to check on her, the morning routine all these will become "normal" to her.
And at some point there is a possibility that she may be the one doing the wandering at night. (unless of course your Mom is not mobile)

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They had to move my mil into a "private" room in the rehab facility she is currently in due to her climbing into bed with her roommate. Her son is taking this all very badly - me too, but I have done a lot of reading so I expected her "wandering" to happen.

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This happens in every facility unfortunately. As most other responders have said, it's mostly harmless confusion. But for someone like my mother, it was akin to terror. She had been married to my father for 62 years and to have strange men coming into her room was terrorizing. So we stayed with her 24/7 until we could bring her home. At night, with the permission of staff, we closed her door. Was it exhausting? Yes. But it was worth it for her fragile piece of mind. If you address your concerns with staff, become friendly with her nurses and establish a rapport, you will find most of them are very kind, compassionate and more than willing to go the extra mile to check on your mom regularly.

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One memory unit had nooks in the hallway in which they place small (safe) objects. Often these were a distraction, and could keep a resident from wandering into another resident's room to look at or touch or take their stuff. The residents were free to pick up these items, take them to another nook. Staff would return them at night. Sometimes all it takes is something "new and shiny."

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Most memory centers will ask, "would you like your loved ones's door locked or unlocked."

The door will lock when they leave or escorted from the room and will be locked at night.

It's helpful to keep people out and stop wandering your love one from wandering.

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We had the same thing happening where my parents live, at all times of the day. This really bothered my dad who is more with it than my mom and he said a woman was stealing his socks. We asked the facility to install a lock on the door and give my dad a key so when they are out of the room or want privacy they can lock their door. The staff does check in regularly on them so I feel their is not a safety issue here.

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Dear Madina,

Placing my Mom in a care home was a responsibility that terrified me because I would no longer be there to protect or directly manage her care.

it becomes clear very quickly what a care facility’s strengths and weaknesses are.

Night wandering is common with dementia.

Any facility that that cares for people with dementia should have the knowledge, skills and professionalism for monitoring and working with these behaviors.

Ask the facilities you interview how how they manage this. Their answers should reassure you. And, if they do not - follow your intuition and move the facility down or off your list.

I think that in any working relationship with a care home, communication is crucial. Choose a facility that you are comfortable communicating with and where the staff is responsive to your concerns - especially when things don’t go well.

Best of of luck to you. And, remember to take care of yourself too.

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It happened to my mom, but it was in ERROR. People forget which room is their's. I had them hang a sign outside her room with her name on it to prevent this. Having someone in YOUR bed can easily set someone off! : )

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When you visit, have business cards or pre-written notes to pass to other family members there for visits. This is your best source of information.
Set up a web page under a revised version of LO name, or an in law, and post asking about specific facilities. Ask specifics about staffing. All beds should have alarms if someone gets up. How quickly are they really answered. Do the math! They have X number of patients. Staff will be busy with medical care, bedtime preparations, bathroom trips for Y amount of time. If half the patients wonder twice a night, is there enough staff to attend to Y plus X number of wandering patients in a timely manner.
Is there a second motion sensor at the entry door? Are you allowed to install a Ring or other real time monitor, motion activated, at the entry to your LO room. If it only picks up people, including staff entering or leaving, than it is NOT a HIPPA violation. If they vigerously object, that is a red flag!

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If a resident is a persistent wanderer, the staff should have a plan in place to address it. So, any situation like that should be temporary.

Keep in mind that in a memory care unit, there are lots of confused people and many residents prefer to leave their doors open to the hallway. So, sometimes, entry is made in error. It may not be a persistent wanderer, could be someone who was close to the last resident who lived there and is entering on 'auto-pilot'.

As you shop for a community, ask to meet the director of memory care and have a short list of questions. Her/his responses will help you determine if you're comfortable with moving your mom in.

Put something distinctive on your mom's door that will be immediately visible. That will help neighbors realize that it's not theirs (nor the previous resident's) apartment.

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It happens, not maliciously though. Our family photos used to end up on other residents’ nightstands in my grandma’s Dementia unit. It never bothered gram, and I’m sure she didn’t notice they were missing.
We started to label her framed pictures, slippers, and other items that could easily be transported to other rooms. If they came back, it was usually the family who noticed them and returned them to grandmas room.
my husbands grandfather was a very social guy who would visit anybody and everybody to chit chat. The memory care facility medicated/sedated him to the point where he could not get up. My mother in law took note of the drugging and moved him to another facility.
Guess it all depends on the facility, how they handle it, and if others complain about it.

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What can be expected from Memory Care facility when dealing with other clients wandering into random client's rooms during night?

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