*****************Nurse's Notes******************************
I would like to do a study on sensory deprivation and confusion and dementia in older patients. I had a 90 year old fellow come in, pretty sick...and was immediately told in report, "He is confused and demented." So, I went in, with lots of eye contact and love and a little stimulation with hand holding and time...and he IS NOT confused! The problem is: He cannot see!! He cannot hear!!! And no one really talks to him!
So, with some TLC in the form of sitting down, talking to him loudly and getting close enough he could see me, he proceeded to tell me of his life as a University physics professor and his world travels and his family and politics!!! So...I think that many older people are kind of shuffled aside and given a diagnosis of dementia, when it is truly sensory deprivation, instead. Of course not in all cases, but in a fair few, I have found this to be true...
By the way, the golden oldies are my favorite patients of all time. Frank and truth telling and earnest...I love them!
Any opinions??
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I hope each of you is having a great day!
Julie
21 comments:
What a wonderful nurse you are besides being a caring and loving human being. God bless you.
Terry
I am liking that first star--the second one to me is a little less settling to the eye.
When my Dad would get confused he was usually either on too much pain meds (for his post herpetic neuralgia--have I spelled that right?), or he was dehydrated. I can believe that sensory deprivation would be another cause. How do you make sense of your surroundings if you can't focus in on them with your ears and eyes--and no one takes the time to help you get oriented? That would be very confusing!
Grandma Mary, matriarch of the family, passed on my birthday this fall. She was 96.5, an avid Cubs fan and ornery to the end. She was one of these patients. We kept telling folks "Really, she is with you! she just can't HEAR you!" and they didn't believe us. Only when she confused me and my daughter (we look alike) and her son and her grandson (they look alike - the grandson is my DH), did we think there might be an issue. But even then, she knew people were family and loved her.
So yes, this is my experience.
I think that's a HUGE problem today in that younger folks have NO time for the elderly and they're just shoved aside. I'm not 'elderly' but I do find that my kids and grandkids have me at the bottom of their list. Makes me very sad especially when I see my friends spending a lot of time with their kids/grandkids. But I probably notice it more since my DH passed away.
I agree with Sherrill. I am getting on up there in age myself and it seems like the younger people have other things to do with their time than spend it with us older generation. They always seem to be in a hurry.I think that is why there are a lot of the elderly that are alone. I really enjoy talking to people older than me. They know so many interesting things and I have learned a lot from them.
I love the second star best.
My Grandma was almost totally deaf, and 100% blind but would join us with her presence in family visits, but always quiet, seemingly uncaring, perhaps demented, sitting on far side of the sofa, by herself. However, if one person discussed anything about money or sxx, she would perk up like a bird! So funny - she was more "up" on some subjects (thanks to Books for the Blind and Dr Phil) than the rest of us younger folks who thought she didn't know anything! Yes, like your friend. 8-))
How true. When someone can't hear, we thing they aren't all there. Same with not being able to see. Just because they can't do one or the other (or both) doesn't mean that they aren't still smart, etc. Look at Helen Keller. Someone took the time to reach her, and, look what happened in her life. Glad you took the time with the gentleman.
Not sure about your system but if you go into a hospital in Australia they have so much more paper work to do now days there is almost no time to nurse ago no time to sit and talk to a patient....... To understand them.. ...
Too many patients, too little time, so easy for the doctor to make a quick and easy assumption as a diagnosis. That is why nurses and a holistic approach in healthcare are so important!
Like some of the previous commenters, I've found that the younger generation (with a few exceptions) don't have time for the parents and grandparents anymore. Even when invited, they don't take the time to visit. Since we began our quilt ministry I've discovered there are a lot of the "almost elderly" among us who are just plain lonely for companionship and someone with whom to share what they love (quilting). Our group thankfully now has 3 younger members (in their 50s), and our eldest who we all call "Mom" will be 90 in another week! We may be silly and even forgetful at times, some have husbands and other close relatives who have alzheimers, but we have each other to share our joys and our burdens, and for that we feel blessed.
Several years ago, my Mother fell and had to be hospitalized. I stayed with her all day, but left about 11:00 pm because she was sleeping peacefully. The next morning when I got there I was told that they were putting her on yet another medication because she had night time dementia! What they did not think about was that a male nurse went into her room with a flashlight, waking her in the process. She asked him who he was and what he was doing in her house. Thus the decision that she had night time dementia. Wake me from a dead sleep and I probably would ask similar questions!
I also realized that most of the problems she was having with dizziness which was causing her to fall were associated to the many medications her doctor had her on, most unnecessary! Took her off of all but blood pressure and cholesterol meds and she quit falling! Again a doctor making quick assumptions about her health...giving her way to many antidepressant and anti anxiety meds...all because she kept telling him she was sad and lonesome. My father had passed away only about 6 months prior. No wonder she was sad and lonely...they had been married over 60 years! From that day until the day she passed away I was part of every doctor visit and trip to the hospital. Thanks so much for being the kind of nurse my Mother needed, not one who makes the "easy" diagnosis!
Interesting comments. It seems important that everyone have an advocate during medical situations.great seeing all those strings corralled and ready for action.
With your quilts, your words, your hands and heart and your time and caring you have to be angel made to look like a quilting nurse! Bless you...Kiwi Hugs xx
Great string play! That must have been a chore, sorting all those colors.
Many a time my MIL ended up in the ER after a fall, without her glasses, hearing aid, or teeth, and no one there to tell staff she could not hear in one ear. She was often confused, couldn't hear and that lead to incorrect answers. Later when her dementia was worse she became combative, but when given specific things to do or being interacted with, she was fine. She passed away last month at age 98 after years of saying she was "ready to go".
Looking at your string bins makes me envious. I love to play with strings! You'll have fun now.
This issue with assuming it's dementia after brief assessment or interaction is frightening. Loss of hearing and sight if even slightly alters a person's interface with not only other people, but the world in general. To not hear the birds sing or be able to read or sew? When we have to rely on a tv to fill hours of the day because it can be turned up loud? I know that trying to make yourself heard to someone with hearing loss is frustrating on a care giver's end, too, and by the time the message has been repeated several times you can feel exasperated. How difficult it must be to see everyone is frustrated when they talk to you! It's not a wonder that many people simply shut down from the negativity.
Aging is not for the faint of heart, and bless the people who care and value our elderly. Yes, please pursue this. They should always be treated with dignity and respect.
God bless you Julie how I wish you were my Dads nurse.Dad has dementia which hit him rapidly.I have found if I sit quietly with him we have a great conversation.If he is bombarded with many visitors or staff his confusion is tenfold and becomes very agitated.Today I took my little dogs in for a visit we sat outside and he had a lot of joy from them.Even the other residents wanted to touch them.i am pleased to say they were on their best behaviour.I am so so heartbroken with the situation my dad is in.He taught me courage,strength,truthfulnessand integrity.
Love your string stash! I have mine sorted and yes, honest...someday I'm going to sew them :-)
No sewing here currently....sick pup and sick sister need my help. A rough season God is helping us through.
I am so glad you were able to communicate so well with your patient. I agree with you completely. Just being admitted to the ICU or hospital, or being ill can paint a very different picture of the elderly in particular. They have more to give than we know sometimes.
What an amazing nurse you are....love what you are doing with the strings.
My kind of colors!
I couldn't agree more! Medicare pays for a lot of stuff but why not hearing aids- I think that is a quality of life issue!! I saw a lot of that in the assisted living where my mom lived.
You are the best nurse!You took the time to SEE who he was. Bless you friend.
Love your log cabin blocks too!!
A dear friend, still in her 50s, had a heart incident and awoke in the ICU. I went to see her the next day and the nurse said she was disoriented because she didn't know where she was. I went to Lisa and asked her if she knew what happened. She said no. I explained she had a heart incident and was in the hospital. No one had told her what happened. They just kept asking the same orientation questions. She was so frightened.
I use this example in teaching my nursing students that we cannot be check-box nurses. We need to talk to our patients.
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