A person with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, who has been hospitalized, is usually unable to communicate for themselves. It is important that someone serves as the patient’s advocate throughout the hospital stay and any recuperative admission to a rehabilitation center. This spokesperson can be a spouse, family member or professional geriatric care manager. Regardless of whom you designate as your loved ones advocate, you’re likely to have questions, such as:
- Who is your main point of contact at the hospital, and what can you ask of this person?
- How do you make sure your loved one receives the highest level of care?
- How do you make sure your loved one is comfortable?
Most answers will be based upon facts unique to each patient, but there are a few rules of thumb that can make the hospitalization stay much easier.
