[affald]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Dementia-related Behaviors: Managing Public Outbursts - AgingCare.com

Please take what is probably a dementia patient's outburst here in the Villages in some store, restaurant, park, etc., with a measure of restraint in both your approach and how you interact with the person's caregiver and with the authorities.

Get the facts before dialing the police. Otherwise you might make things worse for the caregiver and his or her patient.

ALWAYS dial law enforcement if someone may be in trouble. They will send a professional, not a social worker, trained to deal with trouble. Law enforcement will then determine the next best course of action .

[GatorFan]

[QUOTE=manaboutown;2116318]USUALLY if someone is screaming a problems exists. That it is a demented individual is rarely the case, even here. Personally, I would automatically react as if something bad was happening rather some demented person out and about was losing it. My response would be what numbskull let them out in the first place knowing this could happen and cause a disturbance or worse?

They belong in assisted living facilities and should not be out on the streets creating i

[villageuser]

Originally Posted by PugMom

so easy to say unless you're dealing with it. i cross that path everyday, & cannot bring myself to send someone i love to one of those places. it's a busy enviorment for sure, but also very lonely

I totally agree with you. And you said it in a more compassionate way than I could think of responding to that statement. Seriously, because you don’t think the person is acting in a conventional manner, they need to be locked up? Are we back in the 1950s? Kids may scream and act immaturely out in public, and, unfortunately, so may people who are having cognitive issues. My mother screamed daily, multiple times during the day, that we had kidnapped her, because we no longer allowed her to go walk outside by herself, or if we didn’t take her out to the square every night. (Do note, she rarely went to the square before that.).

Life happens, and we should all try to handle it as compassionately as possible.

And, to the original poster’s comments, I don’t blame someone responding to someone screaming “I’m being kidnapped”. One has to take the side of safety. But, yes, the caretaker should have had some kind of identification, especially if they’re going to be taking the patient out in public.

[Worldseries27]

I'm far from knowledgeable about this particular condition. Perhaps a wrist bracelet providing information would help.

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by bill14564

i'm glad things worked out in the end and thank you for this thread. But i have to wonder, if someone is yelling that they are being kidnapped, why would you jump to the conclusion that they were suffering from dementia? Would it not be more prudent to be a busybody, watch out for your neighbor, and try to be sure they were not actually being kidnapped? How can i know the person has dementia? I certainly cannot rely on the word of the accused kidnapper.

you are 100 💯 percent correct.
The new norm in our society now, which we are barraged with in all our media, is
" see something, say something" or in leo jargon " let the judge figure it out"

[GmaLisaG]

We care for my mother in law and I appreciate this post. She has some days when she "seems" perfectly fine but others she can't remember and gets confused. We have had neighbors question us and say "we don't think she has dementia " . I honestly had to carefully chose my reply to that. Anyway, we are all living here to live. ❤️

[amexsbow]

Too many people think no action should be taken when there's an out of the ordinary incident is taking place. This attitude has caused a degradation in the fabric of society.
One only has to look at NYC, LA, SF, ETC. ETC. to see the results. It's sad to see someone old, young or any age out in public unrestrained in their behavior because of some lack of control. Those who are responsible feel they have a right to do as they please. They don't, your rights end where others' rights begin.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by affald

ALWAYS dial law enforcement if someone may be in trouble. They will send a professional, not a social worker, trained to deal with trouble. Law enforcement will then determine the next best course of action .

Exactly, not getting involved or thinking they PROBABLY have dementia will just get people killed.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by amexsbow

Too many people think no action should be taken when there's an out of the ordinary incident is taking place. This attitude has caused a degradation in the fabric of society.
One only has to look at NYC, LA, SF, ETC. ETC. to see the results. It's sad to see someone old, young or any age out in public unrestrained in their behavior because of some lack of control. Those who are responsible feel they have a right to do as they please. They don't, your rights end where others' rights begin.

Exactly my point, thank you.

That kid going into the school with a rifle probably is just going to show and tell.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by GmaLisaG

We care for my mother in law and I appreciate this post. She has some days when she "seems" perfectly fine but others she can't remember and gets confused. We have had neighbors question us and say "we don't think she has dementia " . I honestly had to carefully chose my reply to that. Anyway, we are all living here to live. ❤️

I am sorry to hear about your mother in law, I went through the same a couple years ago. Consider that your neighbors are just expressing concern, and explaining the situation may help. But, better neighbors are concerned for neighbors than indifferent.

[airstreamingypsy]

'Overzealous LEO" ? The guy should be honored for following up what could have been a real kidnapping. Kudos to him.

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Caregivers do indeed need breaks but if a patient creates serious disturbances affecting the serenity, peaceful enjoyment of their surroundings and the well being of others when out in public that is another matter entirely. A patient screaming "Murder", "Help, I'm being kidnapped" and the like which is at minimum alarming to strangers should not be taken out with their caregiver on a "break". Don't caregivers take breaks to get away from patients?

we get a break only when it's possible, which is almost never. it's a 24/7 job. the cost of qualified caregivers can get pretty high, & you will need to include this in your monthly budget. i get about 4 hrs free time in a week, anymore would add up to almost $200 a week.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by villageuser

I totally agree with you. And you said it in a more compassionate way than I could think of responding to that statement. Seriously, because you don’t think the person is acting in a conventional manner, they need to be locked up?

We went through this a couple year ago with my wife's mother. And I take strong exception to your term "locked up".

We ended up having to place her in assisted living for people with memory issues. We researched and found an outstanding facility (in Seattle - but I am sure there are good ones here too) that provided excellent care with a highly trained staff where her mother's special needs were taken care of and she was safer and healthier than she would have been in our care.

I certainly understand that many nursing homes or assisted living facilities are basically warehouses that make money off medicaid storing people drugged out of their minds until they die.

But, that is not always the case.

Anyone that has the time, energy and gets the training and wants to be the care giver for a parent or relative should certainly do so. But, it is NOT easy, it is not always safe, and I highly respect those that provide the care be they family members or professional, but many can't and shouldn't.

There are excellent facilities available if you take the time to find them, and it is NOT locking them away, it is providing for the best care available for loved one.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by airstreamingypsy

'Overzealous LEO" ? The guy should be honored for following up what could have been a real kidnapping. Kudos to him.

Thank you.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by Worldseries27

I'm far from knowledgeable about this particular condition. Perhaps a wrist bracelet providing information would help.

Exactly part of my first suggestion, or a photo id on a lanyard identifying the care giver and the person being cared for issued by the state, so it is easily identified as probably real.