Client has dementia..? Keep working for her?

I worked with patients with Alzheimer's and dementia, and it can be very confusing. Your client has lost a LOT of brain cells, so she is not quite herself anymore, and it will get progressively worse.

You might wish to have a consult with an elder affairs lawyer or social services person and ask the best way to handle it. Consults are free. Your client needs to have a responsible person like a trusted lawyer or family member with a power of attorney to direct her affairs and at this point she probably doesn't know she is becoming incompetent very rapidly. People with dementia can live anywhere from 2-5 years, and they deteriorate during that time.

I still remember that when I was learning the in's and out's of the seeming madness of brain damaged patients, my patient directed me to buy bread, and chicken, and quite a few other things, and bring them to his house, because his sister was staying there. I was also told to collect his mail.

I did all of those things, only to discover that the sister staying there was a complete fantasy, and the door to the house was locked. All I could do was bring the food to the rehab where he was staying and leave it in the freezer. I delivered his mail to him, but that caused a lot of trouble, because he had a court date of which he was being notified, and he could not attend. Apparently his lawyer was handling it.

If this woman's family is not aware that she suffers from dementia and you ARE aware of it, you are obligated to let them know, even if you have to go behind this woman's back to get those phone numbers. It could mean legal trouble for you down the road otherwise. This woman's family might not wish to pay you a lot of money, because they might consider that it is needed for her long term care.

I worked for a woman just like that. She was a wonderful person but completely in a muddle about everything. I was hired as her secretary but could never really get anything done because of her disorganized constantly shifting mental state. I eventually quit the job because it was so frustrating. I left her in the care of her daughter and rich son-in-law which made me feel better about it.

The truth is, people in this state of mind need the care of a good geriatric specialist psychiatrist. And it is probably time for them to limit their work or retire.

Take yourself out of the equation. And learn a lesson about facing old age yourself; make changes in your work before you are forced to and others have to take over control of your life.

Does she have a secretary or PA or manager or family members who take care of things ?
Would be worth having them on side.
Somebody who could confirm agreements.

Should you be disgusting about a client