I am POA for my aunt and her health has unexpectedly turned for the worst. She has transformed into a different person and has become severly combative with the hospital personnel, doctors, etc. She now cannot walk, seems to be confused and disoriented, very, very disrespectful and doesn't even want to talk to me. In fact, she told me not to call her "aunt." I live out of state and have a short turnaround time to find her a rehab/nursing, perhaps even long-term, if she doesn't come back to her senses. Any suggestions????
Have you asked the hospital staff for recommendations on a nursing home? Have you spoken to a social worker about how to get your aunt transferred if that's what she needs? There are a lot of resources at your disposal while your aunt is hospitalized. Take advantage of them while you can.
I don't know where your aunt is staying now, but I did wonder if it was time to get a higher level of care for her. Rehab sounds like a very good idea, maybe in a place that can become LTC if she needs it. I don't envy the task in front of you.
Haloperidol is not especially good at genuine sedation, and its risks are very high in the elderly. Not FDA approved for demented, psychotic elderly. Black box warning, in fact.
There is a safer drug than haloperidol but it is IV-only, from what I can tell. it's called dexmedetomidine and is mainly one of the drugs used in general anesthesia.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2717438/
However, there is now a version for dogs who are scared of thunder and it is applied on the gums. I'm getting ahead of the science here...I think it sounds better than Haldol and I hope it can eventually be used without the IV route, in time for my old age.
There are ways staff can behave that increase combativeness and ways that decrease it. A lot of times they think it's an ego war and insist on things that don't matter. See if you can get some time alone with your aunt and find out what is going on. She might need some time just sitting without talking first...
Look for online reviews of the facility, too.
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