memory care--or don't care

I’m now in a FB PPA group. One member put her husband, in his 60s, into MC. A week later they asked her to take him back out. Apparently their aides are accustomed to taking care of compliant lil’ ol’ ladies and don’t want to take care of a younger man(!). They kicked him out not because of anything he did, but because of who he was. Jesus.

I’m reading responses to that post…someone chimes in that her husband, in good health other than dementia, was kicked out as his facility was accustomed to frail elders and didn’t want to accommodate someone who needed and was capable of walking.

While my husband is developing a Parkinson’s gait and walks slowly, he spends a lot of time on his feet–at least as much as I do, probably more. Although the lack of rigorous exercise means his leg muscles are looking like mine when my cast came off after 2-3 months of not putting any weight on it.

a quote from that group:

many homes refuse to take people with Younger Onset Dementia, fearing “behaviours” that may distress older, frailer people. We know that the rarer dementias are more prevalent in younger people, e.g. FTD in all its forms, PCA, LBD, etc. These are not about “memory” per se…but there is such ignorance. I’m so sick of the “Alzheimerization” of the dementias - there are 100s of syndromes in fact.

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fearing “behaviours” that may distress

That’s the English spelling of “behaviors,” so I wonder if this is someone living here who grew up in the UK, or if he/she lives in the UK and perhaps it’s more difficult finding acceptable memory care there.

I’m really astonished to hear that younger more physically competent people with dementias were kicked out of memory care facilities because the staff disliked the demands. When I think of the unit my dad had been in in the early aughts, and the great variety of dementias, disabilities/capabilities/behaviors — and it was their job to care their best for all of them, even the angry ones who were capable of landing a good punch.

=sheila

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The group has members all over, at least all over the English-speaking world.

The group has members all over, at least all over the English-speaking world.

So at least one of those comments may well refer to the UK rather than the US.

=sheila