Comments | skyhuntress: I saw my life flash...

skyhuntress

I saw my life flash...

Feb 22, 2010 12:56

...in the eyes of a geriatric 70 year old sociopath gentleman ( Read more... )

Comments 12

athystle February 22 2010, 20:38:48 UTC

I take it the work you do in health care does not focus on elderly, right? That is just classic altzheimers. We get this in our area so often you wouldn't even believe it. This happening would not even surprise anyone here once they saw it was an elderly person. We had one trying to walk across the canadian border at 3am wearing nothing but a checked tablecloth. He was an old farrier from Quebec. Said he was "hoofing it to Farnham, had a horse up there to shoe ( ... )

athystle February 22 2010, 21:02:28 UTC

But I sure would have jumped out of my skin when I first saw him too, no doubt. Yup, you must have been some surprised and frightened for sure.

skyhuntress February 22 2010, 21:19:48 UTC

ya, it wasn't his own place that he couldn't find. he was apparently looking for his daughters place. so more understandable with him getting lost. still pretty damn creepy that he was just sitting in the garage.

And actually, my work within the health care deals primarily with palliative patients, with about 1/4 of my time spent at the pediatric unit. I used to do a LOT of work with the elderly - as in 5-6 years, almost full time, as well as some time on the psych ward. And I learned pretty darn quickly that demented and/or old doesn't mean safe and cuddly ;)

athystle February 22 2010, 22:18:29 UTC

Oh I know. I grew up in a nursing home that my mom owned, operated. She was a nurse. So we had 14 old and/or mentally challenged ppl at all times. It was a strange way to grow up. And yes, we had cute and cuddly and then dangerous too. Old men get mad and whack each other with canes, I think Ive likely seen it all. Drawing on our walls with their own excrement, yup. We had an old 4 story, 22 room victorian mansion and it is a good thing. I had room to get away and then some.

Thread 7

horsearcher February 22 2010, 21:18:50 UTC

Wow. That would have scared the hell out of me too. I am glad family came to retrieve him. I hope they do better to keep him safe from now on.

skyhuntress February 22 2010, 21:20:50 UTC

well my question was, if you know that he was a bit demented, why would you give him directions to a place he wasn't comfortable with, and expect him to be ok?

horsearcher February 22 2010, 21:27:27 UTC

No kidding. People don't think.

coanteen February 22 2010, 21:47:25 UTC

A bit of denial about how bad it is, most likely.

But man, I'd have freaked.

diaryofarider February 23 2010, 14:55:29 UTC

Wow, that is really scary and sad...glad it turned out ok though.