When We Started
Hilda was 79 years old with a long career as an au pair and a love of traveling and nature. She was divorced and had not been in touch with her own children for many years. Her long-time friends were her only support, and she was declining. When we met Hilda, she was living alone with part-time caregivers. She needed to sell her home due to financial limitations and move to an assisted living community, but was unlikely to be accepted based on the following:
- Negative behaviors such as yelling, aggression, and agitation toward neighbors and friends
- Exit-seeking behaviors resulting in wandering
- Not eating regularly, with little attention to nutrition
- Napping for long periods in the middle of the day, with an unknown nighttime sleep routine
Interventions We Performed
- Expanded the caregiving team to include nighttime supervision
- Established a daily routine with regular exercise, walks outdoors, and improved nutrition
- Implemented medication changes and monitored behaviors
- Coached Hilda's friends and caregivers in ways to interact and redirect undesirable behaviors
- Implemented reminders and a toileting routine to reduce incidents of incontinence
Outcome
- Renewed interest in mealtimes and nutrition
- Engaged in her new routine, with decreased exit-seeking
- Pleasant and charming, with improved behaviors
- Decreased daytime napping and improved sleep at night
- Successful move, where Hilda quickly became a much-loved and active community member
The Results, By the Numbers
Incidents of Difficult Behaviors That Improved
- Month 1
- Month 2
- Month 3
To protect privacy, names and images have been changed.
Your free 30-minute consultation
An educational half hour with no sales and no pressure. Straight talk, real answers, and expert advice on your options and potential strategies. Schedule the conversation, talk with us for half an hour, and things will look much brighter.