male and female alzeimers residents in ltcf

[proud2b1]

It seems like more and more alzheimer patients I have seen are younger,and fully mobile.When you get alot of these in one place they tend to interact with one another.The male and female thing with these patients is a very hard thing.The facility I am at is not an alzeimers unit,but we do have all the alarms,and we do really well with watching them.Needless to say we have had some instances where 2 will connect.When something happens{which it shouldnt,I know}but it does,what exactly is the right way to handle it?I know all the procedures.What I mean is how can you determine who initiated what,and properly follow through?

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Thread moved to Geriatric Nurses and LTC Nursing forum.

[eldragon]

It seems like more and more alzheimer patients I have seen are younger,and fully mobile.When you get alot of these in one place they tend to interact with one another.The male and female thing with these patients is a very hard thing.The facility I am at is not an alzeimers unit,but we do have all the alarms,and we do really well with watching them.Needless to say we have had some instances where 2 will connect.When something happens{which it shouldnt,I know}but it does,what exactly is the right way to handle it?I know all the procedures.What I mean is how can you determine who initiated what,and properly follow through?

This is common and you have to remember that they are adults.

These are usually harmless crushes, but sometimes they do get involved enough to hurt the feelings of spouses on the outside, the devoted ones coming into the facility to visit their loved one.

You might google "Sandra Day O'Connor," and read her story. Her husband has alzheimers and has taken up with a fellow resident at the facility he lives - and while SDO's feelings were hurt initially, she realized that her husband had sustained a new outlook and energy in this situation, and eventually blessed the union.

It's complicated, but common.