41. From Dancing to Dying
A very difficult episode, but one that surely needs to be told. This situation is one family's struggle with when their loved ones need care in a community setting. It's a hard decision. The word placement strikes fear in their hearts for many reasons.
Since the recording of this episode, the Colonel, as you’ll hear about, passed away within a few weeks of his placement. To be honest, there are thousands in this country with the same outcome. This is the tragedy of a healthcare system that gives little to no hope or direction when treatment is administered to someone with dementia. There has to be a better way than the massive amounts of medications to “combat bad behaviors and agitation.”
People living with dementia and dying from massive amounts of drugs not indicated for dementia need to stop. We need more voices to advocate for those with no voice. It's simply out of hand. This podcast episode makes no apologies for the blunt honest reaction to a system gone bad. It was literally “from dancing to dying”, in less than thirty days for the Colonel.