dementia and mental health services

[ear]

I need a little help here guys, what types of services might you have for the folks with dementia that start exhibiting abusive behaviors?? We have a responsibility not only to our other residents, but our staff as well, to prevent injury. When a resident progresses into the stage of dementia where they start to become physically abusive, we don't have any psychiatric resources to help us. Yes, we have a psychiatrist, but only in the building 1-2 times a month. Not really enough to help with acute problems.

Because of our regulations, we can't do PRN haldol like the hospitals can, but when we send people out; they are usually treated with something like that and sent right back. We are not getting these residents the help they need. They come back, start to get abusive and get sent back to the hospitals. They go back and forth, and it just increases their confusion, and agitation.

The mental heath floors in the hospital don't feel like it is a problem, because it is a "normal progression" of the disease, and feel that the LTC should just deal with it. These people need help, and I need to pick the brains of others out there that have some sort of positive experiences.

Please, I am not bashing hospital nurses, or anyone. I am just really trying to find some help for my folks here.

Thanks,

ear

[jsteine1]

I have had the pleasure of working with outstanding SLPs in working with dementia and other cognitive issues. You are in Long term care and by law, have to have PT,OTR and SLP on staff or contracted to the facility. Ask the SLP to do an inservice for Nursing on behavior management of the dementia resident.