Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q. My wife will be hospitalized for a procedure soon. She has some dementia and I’m not sure how she will do in the hospital. How can I prepare her for it?
A. A hospital stay can be a challenge for someone with dementia. Hospitals are not really designed for patients with dementia, so it is good that you have realized there could be some things you can do to prepare your wife for her stay. I suggest you talk with your care team as well as family members who can support you. If the doctor is able to do the procedure as an outpatient visit, this might be very helpful. Think of all your options ahead of time. If general anesthesia is necessary, it can have side effects, so make sure you talk to your doctor about this. Make sure your care team knows all the medications your wife is taking and how she takes them. If the hospital offers a private room, and insurance covers the cost, consider this for her. It would be less stressful for her to have a private room vs. a shared room. Even if you think your wife may forget, take the time to tell her that what will be happening. Once she is in the hospital, make sure the staff knows who to speak to when it comes to instructions or who to direct questions to. Inform the team of the functioning level of your wife so they know how to care for her properly. If you are overwhelmed, you may enlist the help of a professional caregiver who can spend time with her in the hospital during your absence. A caregiver would provide you with respite while you run errands or take care of things at home. I have seen many families do this and it has been a stress reliever. Lastly, make sure you keep your family in the loop so they can be a support to you in any way possible. It is important to lean on family, if possible, so you don’t get burned out. Don’t do it alone!
Have a question for our angel correspondent? You can send our angel an email to apetersen@visitingangels.com or send your question via mail to Ask An Angel, 65 Woodbury St., South Elgin, IL 60177.
