Hello, My 85 y.o. mum has dementia, has had a brain hemmorhage and has a long history of hypertension which is currently being treated very well with 4 medications. I have EPOA and have applied for administration through QCAT. ACAT assessed her as needing full time nursing home care and she’s currently in interim care. I live 10 minutes away. I live alone and work from home and rarely have visitors. I’m looking after mum’s cat and mum misses her terribly. I’ve been visiting mum twice a day, for lunch and dinner. I asked the facility if I could take mum home to see her cat, and to give her an outing but this was refused “due to CoVid”. Mum is now depressed and it hardly eating anything. In response to this they’re giving her Resource, which is 1/3 sugar, which she doesn’t drink.
I’m telling the facility that I’m taking mum home today to see her cat - with or without their permission. I don’t know if they can then forbid mum from returning to the facility. I think mum would be safer - treatment wise - in a nursing home but emotionally not being allowed an outing to see her cat or to have any outing at all is taking a heavy toll on her health and will to live. Please advise on the legal & other ramifications. Can the facility physically restrain mum from leaving?
Thank you for your replies. Thankfully this has been resolved. I was initially told by a male nurse on admission that outings weren’t allowed, but he said later he only meant on that actual day. I wish he had said that I was meant to ask each day. The other nurses all said outings were definitely allowed although I had to seek permission from the ward nurse each day.
Hi LorenClayton17,During these difficult Covid times I can understand why aged care homes are nervous about letting residents leave and then re-entering the aged care home which is a high risk environment at the moment.I agree with Nellie about suggesting to the home that you bring the cat to visit your mother as many do so with dogs. My mother was at her happiest when her adored dog was brought to visit her. Put the cat on a lead and bring her in a cat carrier. I’m sure many of the other residnets would also enjoy that.The aged care home should be able to advise you about their regulations around quarantine so that the right decisions can be made for everyone’s benefit.Reg
Hi LorenWould you be able to put the cat in a pet carrier and take the cat to see her, even if its through a window, she probably just needs to see that her cat is OK and being looked after. I think taking your mother out of the facility might make things worse, as she may not be allowed back in, or if she is, she will most likely have to be quarantined for 2 weeks.