I would also make an appointment with the social worker from your son’s hospital. Don’t talk about your son specifically. Just describe the general situation exactly the way it’s happening (in order to circumvent HIPPA don’t use his name or the doctor’s name) and ask what to do to get your son the help he needs in the long run.
Tell the social worker what needs to happen for your son to be able to live with you, that you want to be able to find out when appointments are, schedule appointments, coordinate prescriptions, and anything else you would need to be able to do if he is living with you. Ask if a power of attorney will be enough or whether you need something else. Definitely get him to sign Release of Information for you with the hospital as soon as he is ready to do so.
We are in Boulder CO. 15 beds in our old hospital. The patients are free to walk around and they can do their own laundry as well. I didn’t even think to ask what they gave him. I think that would have been pushing it. Yes, I was shocked to see my almost son from the old days! Hopefully, this will continue. Maybe I should have only brought over 1 shirt and 1 sock at a time!
He was busy when I was there today so good idea to make and appointment. They are care coordinators here. Great idea! What would I do without you guys! Thank you, thank you!
If he wants you to know what’s going on, he has to let the social worker know. But in order to be discharged, they need a discharge plan, and you will be told, because he lives with you.
My son signed the ROI today (for a week). He is looking much better. We have a family meeting on Monday (with Doc and social worker). If he continues to take the meds and improving through the weekend, we hope to get him at a half way home for a few days or more (they enforce meds). Then he can come home. I am going to tell him he has to take the meds if living with me and no pot. Going through this has been one of the roughest things I’ve done. Thank you for all your support!
What wonderful news DianeR! You have really handled everything so well - and the support from your community mental health organizations is highly commendable.
Really hoping that everything continues to go well for you and your son! Best wishes, Hope
Really good news that your son signed a ROI form. All caregivers should be well informed. and also sounds like you son is capable of following direction. Wish you the best!
@hope@AnnieNorCal Thank ladies! I can only hope that he will continue on the meds - I sure don’t want more cops busting down the doors. The social worker and I thought a good goal for him is to stay out of the hospital.
Hi…I have a CTO (community treatment order) and I am my sons (SDM) substitute decision maker which means my son cannot make decisions when it comes to his meds…the Mental Health Act where I live in Ontario. Canada allows for this… Makes life a little easier since I know what is going on…there are certain requirements for a CTO. One being a person is in and out of hospital because of his mental health issues for more than a year… Before I got the CTO my son had to sign for me to get any info regarding his meds…
Good idea. He is only accepting pieces of his clothing. So I go daily with a new piece. Otherwise he won’t see me. Last night he said I could leave them for him. I told him I would come back tomorrow with them. He agreed to take them from me if it was only a handoff. I will go 2ce today. Good thing he has a lot of clothes. The security guard told me the people in the unit like to change clothes 3 or 4 times a day. Happy Mother’s Day!
@auzinste, nice to see a fellow Ontarian on here! In the same boat with my son, CTO and SDM, so just wondering how your son is doing with these in place? Does he resent you or anyone for being “forced” to take the meds? Have they found the “right” meds for him? My son is going through a bit of resentment right now. Gets worse as he gets clearer.
Hello
Yes many on this sight are from the US. I am not sure what services are offered there.
My son has been a special needs child since he was in school… ADHD …and then at 16 his whole world changed…and for the next 14 years we have been helping him deal with this debilitating illness. His problem was that over time and several drug changes the traditional meds stopped working…I finally got him on Clozapine which can have nasty side affects which he handled well and it has been over a year now. He is stabilized but still needs a caregiver on a daily basis. I administer his drugs every evening with no issues… He did give me a hard time for awhile but he had to take his meds as I do not take no for and answer…lol…I take nothing to heart when his behaviour is not good…seriously we take it day by day as that is all anyone can do
Hi Leiann. Now that your son is getting clearer, I wonder if this would be a good time to give him specific examples of the things he did or said while he was very ill? Maybe this would help him with getting closer to having insight? Maybe this would help to decrease his resentment?
I’m pretty sure the strategies I used with my own son go against most of the recommended teachings. I just told him the truth.
I live in Canada if you don’t get your family member to allow you to be added to a consent form they usually tell you nothing.I am on my daughters form which she had to put me on with her consent .But don’t depend on any thing from her doctor.He has never returned any of my calls.So the nurses are your best friend.My daughter is on an cummunity treatment order.She has had to been a threat to herself or someone else.She has taken a very large amount of pills.When I found her and nearly died and also tried to jump from a building in which the police where able to talk her down.They where well documented
Sorry about all that happened, but so glad to hear he is in treatment, you have some time for you, and you both are starting to communicate again, however small it may be.
Totally agree with the being honest. I have done that on his really good days. Carefully, but wanted him to know how bad things got for his mental state, as I was pretty sure he didn’t remember all of it. As it turns out, I was right. He looked pretty shocked when I told him. He is very med compliant, knows that’s where I draw the line. I just had to compromise some on when he takes it, as he said he didn’t mind taking the meds, but hated that he didn’t feel normal getting sedated at 10 pm. He takes them later now, but hasn’t missed a dose, so going along with it. Hasn’t complained since. I suspect that the resentment is in there, regarding a lot of things, not just the meds. He often starts talking about the many hospital stays, and when he does, he starts getting more and more angry. Then I’m into distraction mode. The meds are just part of it. Thanks for the reply, and advice. All the best.