Urgent please help- mum may be sectioned

[willowtree81]

My mum has vascular dementia and Altzheimers- currently in respite care for a week in a dementia home that specialises in challenging behaviour. Only been there since Friday so my Dad can have a much needed break.

The staff have been brilliant but clearly are really struggling to manage her. I've had so many phone calls already.

She's escaped out of a window and had climbed on a table to try to climb over a fence. She's been aggressive to staff. Broken a chain on a window. Pacing and upset some of the time. Turns out she also hasn't had a medication review for 3 years 😩. (I had no idea about this or would have sorted it.)

Staff are saying they think she will probably end up being sectioned. Very concerned for the implications of this- we are hoping to get a permanent place in a home ASAP but imagining this might be impacted by a section?

Any advice or experience very gratefully received please.

Just to add the staff have said a section could help- which would be great. I'm just wondering if avoiding it is better I could somehow get there and take her home and manage somehow - but both me and my sister have very young families and it would only be a temporary solution. (My sister has forbidden me from doing this as it can be so tricky to manage mum.)

My FIL was sectioned when his dementia worsened and he was living in a retirement flat, and he was then taken to a secure assessment unit. He was there for a while, then found a place in a care home.
He settled down well in there.

I think it sounds like a section may help. She will be somewhere secure so can't escape out of windows etc and will be able to get the medication review she clearly needs.

I don't think it will impact on getting her into a home - but erratic/disruptive behaviour definitely would. If she carries on behaving like this nowhere will want her. You need to get the meds sorted so that she feels calmer and is more able to cooperate.

Huge sympathies. My mum also has dementia and used to display some extremely difficult behaviour and I know how hard it is.

I'm sorry your family are going through this, it sounds very difficult.

I'm not an expert on dementia care, but certain sections of the mental health act entitle the person to section 117 aftercare - essentially the NHS and social care services have a duty to provide accommodation free of charge. So I'd imagine that's what the staff are referring to when they say it might help?

I think your sister is right

I would allow it to happen so she can get the help that she needs and a place suitable to look after her can be found.

If she is sectioned then a DOLS order ( deprivation of Liberty order) can be sought which means staff can physically prevent her from leaving her care home in order to keep her safe. It will be a good thing in terms of her safety

It's so difficult. Sending all good thoughts your way. My dad was sectioned for similar reasons and in the end it was a blessing because he got the care he needed and was in a specialist NHS unit. It felt awful to go through at the time but in the end we had little choice as he was a risk to himself and my mum. It might be worth calling her consultant for advice in the meantime or a dementia charity with a helpline who can tell you more about what it might mean for your mum.

I would definitely allow your mum to be sectioned, partly as it sounds like she needs it, but also because as a PP said, once she has been on a particular section for a month, then all the rest of her care, for the rest of her life will be paid for, whatever specialist dementia care she needs.

My grandma was sectioned a couple of times with her dementia. She was quite aggressive and often not compliant with medication.

I don’t think a section for your mum is necessarily a bad thing; it might help make sure she gets a place in a home which is right for her. It doesn’t sound like coming home with you is in anyone’s best interests, least of all your children’s.

Dementia is awful to manage in a loved one - the person you love isn’t really there any more, or at least the are too hard to reach most of the time. I don’t envy you

Thank you all so so much 😭 xxxx

Assessment in a specialist dementia unit would likely benefit your mum as she sounds quite unwell. She would be under the care of a specialist psychiatrist and RMN’s. Mental health act assessment is a step toward this.

A change in routine and environment can be very de-stabilizing for someone with dementia but it might be the catalyst to getting more specialist support which will help your mum, you and your dad in the longer term.

It won’t prevent your mum finding a placement, there are excellent homes out there that manage people with advanced dementia and challenging behavior but it should help her access the support she needs.

It sounds like an awful situation, I wish you all the best💐

Watching this thread with interest as sadly I have a relative whom I fear could go the same way. Currently we fund all the care but they are becoming pretty non compliant and I fear could be kicked out of the care home at some point. I do think you can reach a point with some dementia patients where sadly their care needs cannot be safely metat home. We have already reached that tipping point.

We were in your position with my FiL when our children were young. It's hard and hard enough when they don't live with you. Your sister is right.
My FIL was sectioned and it was the best thing that could have happened. It enabled a proper assessment and then the right support.
Hope it works out for all of you.

A friend's father with dementia was sectioned. Best thing that could have happened.
It meant that he is now in an ideal secure home with staff who can cope, and all for free. No worries about funding running out.

Listen to your sister, your kids need to come first. A section means they have to find her an appropriate setting and it's fully paid for, it's actually possibly better

My dad was sectioned after her broke the finger of one of the Carers in his home.
It was honestly one of the best things for him, he was in for about 6 months but they got all his medication under control. He eventually went back to the same home but in a different unit with more specialised carers, he also got a fully funded place so it meant my mum didn’t have to fund him anymore, she paid a bit extra for him to have an en-suit room though.

The person may be sectioned under a Section 2 for up to 28 days for assessments. Or a DoLs which is less common and has fewer safeguards. The person could then expect a process of assessment to determine the best treatment. This would also include non pharmacological assessment with OT, psychological and speech and language if needed. sometimes it's finding the best routine for someone. Unfortunately some types of dementia can cause more issues with the behaviour of a person but also to appreciate the person won't understand what's happening and has gone into fight or flight mode.

A section will help.

Don’t let her in your house. Your poor DC.

I would also say that sectioning if needed is likely to help. It will be for assessment or treatment and it sounds like they may be required. I wouldn't not worry about implications where it is for someone with dementia.

Definitely listen to the staff and your DSis. There is no reason to avoid her being sectioned. It's the quickest was to get her assessed, get her drugs sorted and to find her a suitable home. Avoiding it will only mean that she's distressed like this for longer

Don’t take her home with you, whatever you do. I know how awful that sounds.

My DGM had a head injury which accelerated dementia and my DM decided to bring her home. Within a month it was completely unmanageable- she was screaming at windows, seeing people who weren’t there, had no concept of night of day, didn’t know who any of us were - and we were all adults. I would not have wanted children to witness it. It took about four months for my DM to recognise it was unsustainable and another two to get her into an appropriate home.

As everyone else has said a section is not to feared, it will help you. Also, we were told only one home in the region would take my Dad due to his very difficult behaviour violent/escaping etc. It turns out the one home who would accept him are bloody marvellous. The surroundings are beautiful, very safe for him and the staff are masters at managing him to the point there's been no violence at all since he moved in. The process is quite disjointed, we had a few weeks with lots of different people doing different assessments and lots of phone calls but 6months in all is very calm and settled & he's definitely in the right place.

We are in this exact situation with my Dad at the moment. Tbh, I think it's now a relief that someone else is making the decisions for us (to some extent at least). He is becoming calmer in respite care and we are looking for a more permanent home. Do you or your Dad have Power of Attorney? It's very important right now.

It's actually true it is a good thing as PP said, she should then get a section 117 which means she won't have to pay for her social care which if there's a property involved or savings means she won't have to use them.

Your poor mum, she must be so distressed. She needs medication and a better living environment where people can cope with her needs. Agree a section will help.