My mom is going back to her Assisted Living next week. However because of her cognitive decline, she will now be in their Memory Care Unit. They are moving her things and getting her room ready. However since I have had her with me for 2 months there is a 14 day isolation rule with one exception, 2 negative Covid tests. I would take her on Monday to a test center for a nasal swab, then take her again on Wed on the way to return. Then she would only have to be in isolation until Monday test came back (negative). So potentially only a couple of days. If she doesn't do both tests, its 14 days.
Anyone taken someone with dementia for test. How did they react?
They were really trying to discourage me, but she really reacted badly in isolation before (exposed to a staff member with covid) which is partly why I brought her home temporarily. But I can't do it anymore. I trust that these people will provide a safe environment for her. It's just going to be hard, I know she will be upset.
I figure a minute or two of discomfort during testing is better than 14 days of aloneness, especially in a new environment.
Different approaches will work for different people: prep talk beforehand for some (explaination it is uncomfortable but count to ten all done). Some will bat you away but be fine a second time & focus on the reward (someone holding the can of lemonade). Nervous tyoes may have a relative on FaceTime for support.
If staff can be a little patient & creative, it can be done without drama or upset.
To my knowledge she never did.
PS Llamalover, our alpaca Hector is still going strong, nearly 20 years old and still looking after our sheep.
Omg - that is so great about your llama, Hector! How wonderful that he herds your sheep. Always wanted to own a llama, but my Community Association wouldn't allow it.
They had a drive up area in the practices parking garage. So we drove in and they just did it in the car. The man was nice.
She did wince and say ouch but it was over very quick. They said we will have an answer in 3 days, so so far so good.
Hopefully the problems with short term memory will work in my favor this time, and she wont refuse the second test on Wednesday
Elderley confused people who love their new 'home', chat, laugh & sing with staff, put up with a short test & enjoy lemonade afterwards.
I feel very sad that awful care exists.
She has memory issues which people like to label dementia. She has had a swab test twice. She reacted as would anyone experiencing pain.
With memory issues, prepping ahead of time was not helpful as Mom would not remember what was said. However, with memory issues she did not remember that the test was awful.
It was nothing compared to being in an almost empty room with no personal things or socializing. Both of my parents got double isolation due to falls/ER trips and are no longer the same people they were before! Illinois can’t seem to get their “rules and policies” straight. My parents went to different ERs and none of the rules made sense or matched up! Mom is now in MC because of fast major decline and dad is in rehab from a fall 1 1/2 hrs away since all nursing homes in our town closed up because of Covid. He no longer wants to live.
Long story short, do the swab, according to the nurses that cared for my parents they didn’t seem to be really bothered by it, and the isolation is just not good on their mind at all!!
All these elderly people having to get the swabs, lockdown, and isolation just breaks my heart. They’ve got to be wondering what is going on in the world!
Ask her doctor if taking something beforehand to help her to relax would make it less traumatic.
I had one a couple of weeks ago but I was on morphine at the time so my test might not be a good example of the level of discomfort to expect.
And it’s only seconds of discomfort, not minutes.
Let us know how it goes.