Margaret is in The Noosa Nursing Centre High Care Unit

On Monday I sorted out a few things for Margaret to take with her into the nursing home and picked up her pre-packed medications for the next three weeks from the pharmacist.  It was a fairly quiet day as I think Margaret understood that this was probably her last day living in this house.  At one stage she asked me what I was going to do with the house and was relieved when I said I would stay there as long a Louis was alive.

The Blue Care RN made her visit to dress Margaret's arm and shower her.  She was relieved to hear that Margaret was going into a Nursing Home as Blue Care would only provide 2 hours support a day leaving me to look after Margaret for the  other 22.  She also said that in her experience that people like Margaret got weaker and weaker  and in a few weeks she would have to lifted in and out of bed.  This would mean that she would have to go into a nursing home as lifting facilities would not fit in our little home without removing walls,  She gave Margaret a cuddle and wished her the best.  In turn Margaret thanked her for her care over the last few months.

On leaving the RN said that she thought that, unless the fluid could be dispersed soon, Margaret's life expectancy was very short even as little as six weeks.

After another disturbed night I took Margaret to the Nursing home at 10.00 am.  The room they had for her was a share room but she would be on her own for the time being.  This room was in the High Care Unit Dementia Section and the other residents we mostly severely affect by dementia so it was a bit grim.  The carers and nurses introduced themselves and after a couple of hours I left her to have lunch.  I told her I would return at 9.00 am next day to meet the Age Care Assessor.

On Wednesday I took in Margaret's TV and some photos at 9.00 am and we sat and waited for the assessor.  At 11.30 am I phoned her office and was told that she would be there at 1.30 pm.  I went home to feed Louis and get myself some lunch and checked the assessor's appointment in my diary and there it was 1.30 pm!

Margaret had had quite a good night but had had to get up several time to go to the toilet using her wheely walker.  She was quite calm but very quiet.

I returned at 1.30 pm and the assessor arrived soon after.  We went into a little lounge provided for the residents and had the assessment.  It took about and hour and we were told, informally, that the result was that Margaret was low care based on her level of dementia but high care based on her state of health.  This meant that she could be transferred out of the dementia unit and placed in a normal high care room.  It would be several days before the official assessment result would be posted to us but I could get on with the paper work to get Margaret admitted permanently - at present she is on a two week respite care placement totally funded by the government.

Afterwards she had a private word with Margaret to explain what was going on.  Margaret was upset as she thought she would be told that she could come home and life would return to normal.  I don't know what the assessor said but Margaret, while still naturally very unhappy, agreed to stay.

I had taken Louis in to see her and he gave her great comfort.  I left at 3.30 pm and said that I would return at about 10.00 am next day.

In the home they shower and dress Margaret each day and she can sit up or lie on her bed as she wants.  They will also take her to the common room area to meet other residents if she wants.  I can also take her out when ever I like for walks or shopping trips etc.   I can take Louis in any time and there are genrally two or three other dogs about the place.

On Thursday I visited with Louis and we explored the home.  It is quite large and even has a swimming pool for the residents with a walk walk down ramp.  I assume it is used for physio.  Margaret was reasonably happy but a bit lonely as the other residents were out of this world with dementia.  We were told that she would probably be moved on Friday to a normal area upstairs.  We were shown her new room which she was to share with a permanent resident called Maureen.  Maureen has spread out taking up most of the space up to Margaret's bed and had a TV in the corner.  This was obiviously HER room and Margaret was going to be a visitor.

Margaret was given the choice of staying where she was or moving in with Maureen and much to my surprise she opted to move in with Maureen.

On Friday I visited with out Louis because of the move.  I noticed that Margaret's legs were worse and the fluid was up to her thighs.  I pointed this out to the RN and he phoned her GP and her asked me to take Margaret into his surgery at 3.30 pm. 

During the morning I signed Margaret's admission forms and was given the forms required to be completed then approved by the government to give Margaret permanent high care residence.  I went home and took Margaret's TV with me as there was no space for it in her new room and anyway Maureen usually had hers turned up loud.

Before returning to take Margaret to the GP I phoned Centrelink, our central government agency responsible among other things for Age Pensions, Carers and Age Care, to set the ball rolling.  First they cancelled my carer's allowance. Next they updated our financial status as this affects what Margaret has to pay for care in the Nursing Home and finally advised me to complete her form and take it to our local Centrelink Office.  After Margaret is finally admitted our joint age pension would be cancelled and replaced with individual age pensions giving us several hundred dollars a month more income.  It may take a week or so to sort things out but Margaret will remain in the nursing home anyway.  In time she will get a single room.

When I returned at 3.00 pm Margaret had been moved.  They had moved Maureen back into her own half of the room and Margaret had space for her bed, armchair, her wheely walker a bedside table/cupboard and a wardrobe.  There was an en suite bathroom for Maureen and Margaret to share.  She had access to the common room area of the unit and there is a nice outside balcony area where she can sit in the sun or share as she likes.


I took Margaret to see her GP at 3.00 pm and A was alarmed at the state of Margaret's legs.  She was on the highest dose of Frusimide he was willing to give her, 200 mg.  He decided to supplement it with another diuretic, Aldactone 25 mg and said he would see her in the home on Monday.  He said that Margaret's legs had gone ballistic.

I took Margaret back to the home before getting the new prescription filled as she was very weak and getting her in and out of the car was becoming more difficult.  Luckily our Honda Jazz has very upright high seats so I can just get her in and out OK.  After getting her back to the home she had a lovely surprise.  One of her carers is a Filipino lady who we used to sit with at our local club for many years.  We lost touch after Margaret became ill in 2004.  T didn't recognise Margaret at first but recognised me.  She gave Margaret a kiss and said that she would see he most days when she was working.

I filled the prescription and after some minor problems got the RN to give Margaret her first dose.  By law they must have either a signed authorisation from a GP or two RNs must hear a verbal authorisation from the GP.  This meant that the RN in Margaret's are had to find another RN and then phone the GP so both received the verbal authorisation and witnessed the dispensing authority.

I left Margaret talking to Maureen and said I would return next ay.

At 10.00 am on Saturday I took Louis to visit Margaret in her new room and to meet Maureen.  Margaret had had a bad night and had been up several times.  Poor Maureen must have also been disturbed and remember she is also a high care resident and not too well.

We took Louis to sit outside on the balcony while we had morning tea then I took them both for a long walk around the streets surrounding the home.  The home is in a quiet residential area of "Old Tewantin" and there are some very old houses.  It is a nice walk and Louis found lots of new smells and trees to water.

Margaret is still not very happy but appears to fit in OK.  I was told that she is normally bright and cheerful with the carers and RNs and only gets upset with me.

I am going into see this morning.