"senior care"

Well, when hubby called the clubhouse to tell them mom really wasnt going to Alabama, the guy that answered the phone told him that we should talk to the crisis people at Region 8, and see about getting her into a geri-psych unit somewhere for an evaulation.

I was on a field trip with our youngest, so God bless him he did.  The crisis director sent him to Crossgates River Oaks Hospital's Senior Care department.  There, we had the joy of finding Mrs Kay.

Kay is, literally a godsend, an Angel on earth. She is most obviously in her calling.  I can not recall when I talked to someone more caring, more helpful, and just down right nice - that had answers for us immediately.

The Senior Care Unit at Crossgates RO is inpatient program, where people over 55 come in for 10-12 days, and the figure out whats going on, tweak meds, and try to get them home - but if they feel they need 24 hr care, help with the process form there.  They have 18 beds.  Guess how many empty ones they had yesterday?

I bet you can guess.  One.

So, hubby and I had to take her to the ER, and get her medically cleared.  This took much longer than we all thought it would, because they were so backed up.  Then, the doctor couldnt medically clear her because her potassium is low, something not uncommon in people with a history of crohn's disease.  I was worried at first because they only had the "one" bed, but they assured me that 90% that come in have some medical issue to clear up, and the "one" bed was hers.  So she was admitted to a regular room last night, but they placed her across from the nurses desk and there was a camera in the room.

They asked if I could spend the night, but I was so tired, hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was 8pm.  I told them I really couldnt, and they said that was fine, they got a sitter for her from senior care. I also had to sign a form saying she could be watched by the staff on camera.

She was pretty good the whole time, there were a couple of hours where she got really agitated, and upset, and we got her in a quiet room and she calmed down.

Hopefully today her potassium will hit the right range and she can move.  We can only visit one hour a day, but I think it will be good for her.