医療保護入院

 The patient is a 96 years old male. His wife passed away 5 years ago.After that, his son’s family began to help with his everyday life. 2-3 years ago, he started talking to himself.  He would suddenly say “ Tanme, Tanme, Tanme”, which means his grandfather, according to his son. The son says he liked his grandfather better than his parents.

At around the same time, he gradually began to forget how to do the everyday thingｓ. He sometimes forgets to stop the water after he washes his hand, for example. Since last year, he has difficulty using the toilet correctly. Instead, he has often been incontinence and sometimes urinates or defecates outside probably because he has forgot where the toilet is.

In addition, he began to forget where he puts the things. He was also having difficulty dealing with money. 

This year, he happened to be hospitalized due to a lumbar compression fracture. He did rehabilitation for 2 weeks.  His cognitive functions worsened further because hospitalization is so stressful as you know. The psychiatrist assumed(reckoned) that the changes to his situation-his wife’s death, living with his son’s family, and hospitalization- was affecting his present state. This case is so difficult for the psychiatrist. That is because he has been already medicated by the previous doctor, who uses many anti-depressed drugs, anti-psychotic drugs, and sleeping pills. It takes a long time because stopping using drugs, especially psychotropic drugs, suddenly is so dangerous.

The psychiatrist believed that he needs to be hospitalized considering his condition. Medicine adjustment is also needed for his current state. However, he refused to be hospitalized. Therefore, the psychiatrist take a step of medical protection hospitalization by family’s conse