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JeanneA

Coming home on Friday

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Hi my son Glen is coming home on Friday after being away for nearly 4.1/2 months having a mental health assessment. He has been put on new anti-depressant medication: mirtazapine, and his old one prozac has been stopped as has his sleep medication. So really the time that he has been away is just been like a 'a long period of respite' and thats about it. I'm really disappointed as I had high hopes for this assessment. I've just been told that Glen will always have cycles of negative behaviour which I already knew anyway.

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Well at least you tried Jeanne! You can now say you have tried everything offered. You never know, the change may have done him good and he might be happy /calmer once he is home, time will tell i suppose, big hugs to you X

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Hi Jeanne - Can understand your disappointment, but if the change of meds helps then that's something, iyswim. The assessment has also established the paramaters of Glen's behaviour, which will hopefully help inform your choice of suitable residential placements, if this is still what you're looking at for the future. The assessment process, I hope, will have generated lots of medical evidence that will be useful for Glen, you and/or anyone else taking on a caring role for him. As I say, disappointing at this stage, I'm sure, but hopefully a 'stepping stone' towards something better down the road.

 

L&P

 

BD

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Didn't you suggest in a previous post about Glen having a residential placement?

Has the team that assessed him produced any report as to their findings and recommendations.

It is all very well saying the is always going to have x, y and z, but professionals are also supposed to look at "likely future needs". It would help your case enormously if they supported a full time educational placement.

 

What are your plans now?

Will they try to reintroduce him to his old school?

Is his previous school a day school?

 

As you say, with no advice this has been a long spell of respite, for you to return to the previous way things were. There may/maynot be improvements with the medication, but there is no real long term plan is there - just more of the same.

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HI thanks for your replies. I have had reports and the psychiatrist has said that it is up to me as Glen's Mum as to what I do about the future, she said that Glen will always needs a high level of support and if that wasn't possible in the home then a residential placement would be for the best as Glen would get the support that he needs. It's not been an easy decision but we feel as a family that the residential option is the best one. I was struggling before Glen went away and I know I will again. Glen will always have these behavioural cycles. The team have given recommendations as to how to manage Glen which I will take on board.

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The recommendations are what I thought they'd be: allow Glen to plenty of time to complete his rituals (he will need additional support at these times), use communication aids as a matter of routine, a 'now & then' board (picture of whats happening now and picture of whats happening next), offer Glen time to relax & regulate his emotional state. i.e. lay under ball blanket - build this in his daily timetable, a gradual introduction of activities in the day emphasising on the ones he particularly enjoys at his pace. So thats about it.

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Hi Sally, a residential placement is being looked into, I do have a couple of people as well as the social worker coming to see me on Wednesday. Glen will not be able to go back to his current school, he just wouldn't cope with the environment, one of the recommendations for Glen in the report from Prudhoe is: highly structured placement where transitions are kept to a minimum, ie. the unit would be able to provide education and activity as part of the overall package.

 

Glen's current school is a special needs day school. Glen just wouldn't be able to go back there, he has always been very anxious at that School and I think it is totally unfair to send him back.

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Hi my son Glen is coming home on Friday after being away for nearly 4.1/2 months having a mental health assessment. He has been put on new anti-depressant medication: mirtazapine, and his old one prozac has been stopped as has his sleep medication. So really the time that he has been away is just been like a 'a long period of respite' and thats about it. I'm really disappointed as I had high hopes for this assessment. I've just been told that Glen will always have cycles of negative behaviour which I already knew anyway.

 

If it's any consolation, Jeanne, I'm also on Mirtazepine (in combination with Duloxetine) and I think the Mirtazepine works well (for me, anyway). Hopefully, Glen won't need sleeping pills because Mirtazepine itself has a soporific effect.

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Thanks Adam, it is good to hear that the medication is working for you, perhaps it will for Glen to he has been brighter this past week, he's only been on the meds 4 weeks so not long yet.

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So it sounds like some opinions have been aired and decisions have been made, which I hope are helpful for you all.

If Glen isn't going back to his old school has/is something else being arranged. Will Glen be at home with you 24/7 in the meantime?

 

The recommendations given so far are common sense ones. But it will have helped to have been told that because the 'demands' of the day to day school routine are sometimes too much for the child, and yet parents cannot just keep their children home. You need a professional to back up what you already know/feel and say "that school routine is not helpful or good for him", which is what you have now got.

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Hi Sally, the social worker is at the moment working on getting support via different agencies for Glen but as its take a while I don't think there will be anything in place initially when Glen gets home. Also a link worker from the school is prepared to come out one afternoon a week to do something with Glen at home, i.e. art (which he likes).

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I have looked at quite a few on the internet and do like what the cambian group have to offer. I also am very impressed with Young Foundations, where Glen was originally going for his assessment. They offer everything in one big house which would suit Glen ideally they have a few houses scattered over the country the nearest to us is in the midlands. Unfortunately CAMHS would have to fund it and as they have just funded the current assessment which has cost more than £160,000 I can't see them agreeing to fund Young Foundations! Tomorrow I am hoping that the SENCAN lady and YPLA lady will recommend residential places/colleges so that we can have some idea on what is most appropriate.

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Hi the meeting went well. All of us were in agreement about The Young Foundations which I am relieved about and also very surprised! It is my first choice, its a care home with education, the young foundations homes only have 5 or 6 young people in them and everything is done within the home which is ideal for Glen, keeping transitions to a minimum. However funding has to be agreed and the social worker goes in front of the panel on the 28th of this month hoping to get the funding, she did that she couldn't see a problem so that is very promising! At this moment I am feeling very pleased but of course we have to wait for the funding, so it's not a certainty as yet.

 

As for the short term there is someone coming to see me tonight at 6pm from an agency offering support for Glen, the lady is going to do an assessment.

Edited by JeanneA

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It certainly sounds as though things are moving along and that you have lots of support in place, so that's great to hear. I'll be thinking of you all on Friday. >:D<<'>

 

~ Mel ~

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Thanks Oxgirl, I do feel an awful lot better now that I did, it is nice to know that the 'professionals' are behind for a change!

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Off up to Newcastle today in readiness to come back in transport with Glen tomorrow, I'm feeling quite nervous, it's a very long journey 6 hours or more! I will let you know how it went tomorrow night or Saturday.

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Hi the meeting went well. All of us were in agreement about The Young Foundations which I am relieved about and also very surprised! It is my first choice, its a care home with education, the young foundations homes only have 5 or 6 young people in them and everything is done within the home which is ideal for Glen, keeping transitions to a minimum. However funding has to be agreed and the social worker goes in front of the panel on the 28th of this month hoping to get the funding, she did that she couldn't see a problem so that is very promising! At this moment I am feeling very pleased but of course we have to wait for the funding, so it's not a certainty as yet.

 

As for the short term there is someone coming to see me tonight at 6pm from an agency offering support for Glen, the lady is going to do an assessment.

 

This all sounds really good Jeanne! So pleased for you all >:D<<'>

 

Bid :)

Edited by bid

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Well the journey home was fine yesterday. Glen has appeared happy to be home and quite calm and relaxed so far.

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wow he did do well with his journey homexxx welldone Glenxxxx

 

I hope that the settling period goes well and that the resi school goes smoothly too, well done jeannea for coping and dealing with all this your amazingxxx

 

JsMumxx

x

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Glad the trip home went OK and I hope this period of calm continues. Really hope everything falls into place in the coming weeks. :pray:

 

K x

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Thanks very much for all your replies. I intend to keep on top of things this week, i.e. home support and residential placement.

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Hi my son Glen is coming home on Friday after being away for nearly 4.1/2 months having a mental health assessment. He has been put on new anti-depressant medication: mirtazapine, and his old one prozac has been stopped as has his sleep medication. So really the time that he has been away is just been like a 'a long period of respite' and thats about it. I'm really disappointed as I had high hopes for this assessment. I've just been told that Glen will always have cycles of negative behaviour which I already knew anyway.

>:D<<'> >:D< Firstly glad to hear your son is FINALLY coming home to you and no doubt YOU both will be looking forward to seeing each other again. It seems you feel negative regarding his mental health assessment, I dont know what specifically they were assessing him for? But having under taken over twenty years of mental assessments on a variety of people ( my background in psychiatry and learning disabilities), I have never in my life told any parent or carer that the person they love or care for will have negative behaviour forever. If it would benefit you, then please let me know (message my inbox) and we can look through the assessment together and you can have the benefit of a professional in this field have a second opinion for you.

Mental health assessments should undertake the 'holistic approach' ensuring that every aspec of your sons health is examined and why factors are affecting his mood, behaviour etc...

Let me know if I can help

 

POLA ( psychiatric and learning disability nurse for 20 years and living with my partner with Aspergers) :thumbs:

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Adam,

I was just wondering what dose of medicaton you were on and do you just take it at nights? also do you take anything else at the same time?

 

Glen is having 22.5 each night before bed plus he has 1.5mls of risperidone each night and morning. Thanks.

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Thanks for your reply Adam.

 

Glen is still continiualy to be unsetttled at home, he looks very unhappy. It is very difficult (as it always was) to get him motivated into doing anything. I hate to admit it but I'm strugling already and it is has confirmed my feelings that Glen needs this residential place now before someone other young person gets it. Glen needs a high level of support which I am unable to give him.

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I found out yesterday that I won't be getting any support at home until next week due to the easter holidays. :( I really needed someone to come and take Glen out now, he has been in the house since last Friday when he came home, I haven't the confidence to take him out, he needs a mini bus transport so he can sit at the back away from the driver in case he hits out. I am feeling finding things very tough, I should never have allowed Glen to come home. Glen needs to be in residential asap, he needs the high level of support and structure that they can give and I cannot.

 

The panel meets next Wedesday to decided if they will aggree to fund the residential placement, I spoke to my social worker on Monday night saying that I am desperate that Glen has this place he needs the structure and stability he was receiving at Prudhoe, I cannot do this on my own.

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So sorry, JeanneA. :tearful: I know it's no help at all, but I'm thinking of you and really hope you manage to have an okay weekend and that things get sorted out quickly for you after Easter. >:D<<'>

 

~ Mel ~

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Hi I to hope things get very quickly sorted out after Easter as we can't go on like this, I have finding it extremely h ard to look after Glen since he has been away I have suffered with my own helath issues which makes it even more harder to cope now Glen is back. All the professionals are on their easter hols this week until Tuesday 27th so I'm getting no where until then. The panel meeting is the 28th which I have stressed in no certain terms that I need the funding agreed so that Glen can have the place available in the Young Foundations asap. It's the best for him and for us.

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Hi, so sorry to hear you are struggling, its bad timing him coming home with the bank holiday looming! really hope they come through with the money for the placement. good luck xx

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Thanks Enid, its far more difficult than I though it would be. I think that it could be because Glen was away for nearly 4.1/2 months and I'm struggling to get back to how I was when I was looking after him before. I just feel like bursting into tears all the time. Nothing's changed Glen is exactly how he was before he went in only much bigger and stronger. He's put on over a stone in weight and now weighs 11 stones. I just don't know how to be his mum again, sorry this sounds stupid I know.

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Hi thanks so much for your very kind comments. I did get onto social services again very strongly this time!!! I have 2 people coming out this morning (who I was originally told wouldn't be able to) to spend 3 hours with Glen, so maybe I can pop out whilst they are here to have a quick break. Also I brought up residential with a vengence, a place is available now, it's ideal for Glen's needs and if he doesn't get that then what is there for someone like him?? The social worker is now going to see the place next week and will report back to whether she thinks it will suit Glen's needs. So I hope and pray for a positive result from that otherwise I don't know what I will do.

 

Respite have kindly offered to have Glen this coming Monday until Wednesday to give us a break which is very good of them. So I guess the more you protest sometimes the more people will eventually sit up and listen!

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Well done, JeanneA, keep at them. I really hope the residential place works out for you. Is it far from you, would you be able to visit easily?

 

~ Mel ~

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Sounds like you are really making progress.

 

I hope the residential place works out, and it's really good news that you have some respite in place already.

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I need this place desperately for Glen, it is about 2.1/2hour drive from us which means we would definitely see more of Glen then we were doing when he was in Scotland. Glen could come home in the holidays and spend a couple of weeks here at a time so he doesn't forget his home!

I will be keep up the pressure on Tuesday, the social worker has told me she is going to be going up to see the placement sometime during the week so I pray she keeps her word.

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