Moving someone with advanced Alzheimers to new accommodation

I've posted a few times (well, ok, too many times ) about my Mum, Grannyknot.

We had a lot of difficulty moving her into her first home, which was Residential with nursing when required, and the home turned out to be dreadful . Due to DH's work, we had 'inside' knowledge of lots of homes in the area so chose the one we thought would be best for Mum. Unfortunately, her mental capacity worsened, partly due to the move we think, and the second home couldn't cope with her. There was a chance that she would have to be sectioned but she eventually agreed to go quietly!!

She was taken to a dementia unit at a hospital where they worked very hard to sort her medication out and get her stable enough to be able to move into a specialist dementia home. Since she has been stabilised she has been very accepting of the new (and final) home and rarely asks to go 'home' as she did before.

Sorry that was long winded but it demonstrates, certainly in Mum's case, that the more severe, but stable, the dementia the easier the move has been.

Others may think differently

I hope all goes well with your MiL - it's horrid to have to make the decision.

Remarkably, my MIL is not on any medication. She was on Aricept, but that was stopped. That, come to think of it, is part of the worry, that she will be given a 'chemical cosh', hopefully it is down to the merits of the individual patient's requirements what medication is given.

However, one could say she is stable and severe. So that's a comfort then.

Any move is going to cause some distress. I doubt it can be avoided but most people settle down quite quickly. It could possibly be eased by her making some visits there beforehand. Lunching there or spending a day there.

Alzheimers is more complicated than memory loss. She will be recognise in her being if not consciously in her mind, what her bed should feel like, what, broadly her room is like, where to look for light and shade, how the chair feels, and other environmental factors. However her memory loss will mean she should adjust quite quickly.

My Mum isn't on a 'chemical cosh' Grannyknot but something else that I have forgotten the name of (I blame the wine at lunch!!) which helps her mood. Mum was on Aricept too which was stopped. Part of the reason we moved her from the first home was because they wanted her 'calmed down'.

I'm not sure that my Mum would have coped with any visits to this last home before the move, Flickety. She settled in quite quickly because, I think, she has virtually no short term memory and with the help of the new medication which keeps her more stable.

IMHO it is as you say "a complete unknown" my mum moved to CH from the house she had lived in for over 50yrs but she never once asked to 'go home' where as one of her fellow residents had been at the CH for five years and asked on a daily basis. Mum was resistant to the move on the day she arrived but the next day she was fine.
As is often quoted on the Alzheimers forum 'no two people with Alzheimers are the same'

Best of luck.

Frequently people with fairly advanced dementia are not located in reality and their spacial visual ability has gone. So they may be in a toilet but actually think they are in a hall with stairs. They may be in a lounge but believe they are at work. Therefore it is possible that your MIL may not be able to understand where she is anyway now or when moved.
A change in environment or routine may cause some anxiety but on the other hand may see someone they believe they know. Whilst she may not remember places or people emotional happiness or distress lasts some time.
She could be anxious and a short course of medication to help her settle may be appropriate. I do not mean sedated but calm enough to enjoy herself rather than being so anxious that she cannot cope at all. There is nothing worse than seeing someone with any type of dementia so anxious that the quality of their live is severely affected.

Thanks everyone v. helpful to add to our musings.

Kitty apologies I did not mean to imply that your mum is on a 'chemical cosh' was wondering about it in general...

I didn't think you did Grannyknot.

The point about her chair is a good one. Mum and her chair have been inseparable for about the last twenty years and it has gone to each home with her. Unfortunately, it now had to have a wipeable seat cushion. Her favourite photos, silver and china have also travelled around with her although we do have to keep retrieving things from other rooms.