What exactly is day treatment?

tawnya

New Member
I posted several days ago about my 52 yr old sister in law and how she was flipping her lid and getting violent with mother in law. Now, supposedly, she is getting set up for day treatment. I think that she needs a couple of weeks being hospitalized to begin with, but I am just an armchair warrior.....on this deal. They think I am crazy for suggesting hospitalization.

If it is just day treatment, she won't go without force the second day. I guess I just don't understand. While it is a step in the right direction, I don't think anyone will follow through..sister in law is seriously ill. Her psychiatrist suggested day treatment "first". She is getting increasingly violent to mother in law who is elderly and crippled. Why can't everyone see this?
 

Andy

Active Member
Day treatment is a day long out-patient program. It is more intense than a regular outpatient program where you see a counselor a few time a week for 1 - 2 hours each day. Each facility is different. I work for a facility that our day treatment for chemical dependency is 6 hours each day for 4 days a week.

The patient gets to go home at night and weekend. So, if there is a possibility of the patient abusing anyone, I would also be worried about letting her go home at night.

You can ask the facility to do an assessment upon admission to determine which level of care would be most appropriate. Does the psychiatrist know about her violence toward mother in law?

Unless, you can get her committed through the courts for treatment, I believe she has the right to refuse any. So, if she agrees to hospitalization and then changes her mind, they have to discharge her. I do think there may be a procedure that she needs to give notification of her wish for discharge which may buy a day or two? You would have to check with the facility.

If sister in law decides to be angry at this at all, will she take her anger out on mother in law? Do what you can to protect mother in law.
 

tawnya

New Member
Thanks for your reply.

mother in law has guardianship over sister in law, so could she trump and refusal? I will suggest an evaluation if/when this happens.

I'm so worried and confused about this whole situation.
 

Andy

Active Member
It dependends on the status of the guardianship - if it is only for finances, then "no". Otherwise, I would think personal guardianship is set up to make these types of decisions because the person is unable to make a safe/reasonable decision on their own.

Do you have an attorney that helped set up the guardianship or someone mother in law can contact regarding it to see what her rights and responsibilities are? That person may know how to proceed.

I don't know how an admission with a guardianship referal works. The admitting office may be able to answer questions in this area also.
 

slsh

member since 1999
Yes, unfortunately, I think mother in law can refuse this treatment since she's the guardian (assuming it's guardianship of person and estate of sister in law). Then it becomes a matter of if/when sister in law becomes a danger to self or others *and* someone (you? husband?) really forcing the issue.

Who will be responsible for getting sister in law to day treatment? If it's mother in law... well, given what you've posted, I wouldn't get my hopes up.

on the other hand, if you can get sister in law to go to day treatment, there's a chance they might see that she does need more intensive treatment and recommend inpatient, which they can do. If mother in law and sister in law object, they can always get a XX-hour hold and keep her.

Sorry this is still dragging on. What are the chances of guardianship being transferred to husband or someone of his generation?
 

Andy

Active Member
I read tawyna's post as mother in law could trump any of sister in law's refusals. Meaning if sister in law refuses, mother in law can force sister in law go to treatment because she is the guardian.
 

slsh

member since 1999
I think (probably wrong) that mother in law has not been terribly proactive in getting sister in law involved outside of the home.

I also think (again probably wrong) that even with guardianship of person and estate, treatment cannot be forced without a court order/involuntary hold kind of thing. This is why I'm terribly on the fence about getting guardianship of thank you because even with it, we cannot force treatment, medications, or placement unless he's a danger to self or others and even then it's only a temporary fix.

Just my understanding.
 

tawnya

New Member
The way I understand is that mother in law CAN make all decisions, and she is the one that wants to do this. However, things are OK now and once again she won't follow throught. There is no way "we" are taking over the guardianship. We've tried to tell her that sister in law is cycling....write it on the calendar...about every 5 days to my calculations

Thanks for your replies...
 
Top