This was a note I placed on Dad’s hospital room door, & at the top of his medical notes.
When Dad was highly agitated in hospital our family was very worried about triggering any behaviours.
As we are family, we intimately knew all the indicators that told us Dad was starting to escalate. This is really hard to pass onto others, but so worth it.
We were extremely fine tuned to his body language and would know by the pressure in his hands as to how dad was feeling. Everybody is different so this trait is probably unique to dad.
The reason why I am sharing this note is because it is super important to let hospital/aged care staff know how to handle the person with dementia the best they can. It is safer for them and better for the person with dementia.
By simply shaking Dad’s hand you can tell ‘where he is at’ and react accordingly.
Just imagine what would happen if a new nurse came on shift and had no idea that if you try and remove dad’s shirt when he is agitated you may get whacked.? This would mean security would be called and heavy restraint.Plus the potential for injury to the nurse.
You will also notice I tried to explain the best way to give dad medication. Obviously people with dementia often do not want to take meds and can be a volatile ‘flash point’.
I was not trying to tell the fabulous nurses how to do their job, but with dementia it is best to share as many ‘little tips’ as you can as it can make everyone’s day so much better.
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