My 85 year old LO has been at an ALF with a dementia unit for three months. Everything has been great except for one thing: The person in the room next door screams frequently. I have heard this myself when visiting. It is chilling even though I know the neighbor and my LO are not in any danger. Still, I get shaken up and my LO is even more upset by it. It doesn't happen all day long but - from what I understand - these outbursts happen on a daily basis at different times. They last perhaps five minutes or so.

Question: Is this sort of thing something my LO just has to accept because of the community environment in an ALF with dementia patients?

Thanks!!

Thanks to everyone who replied. I appreciate it.

My spouse and I met with the facility management last week. As many of you commented, they expressed how screaming is part of the dementia environment. (My LO, by the way, is high functioning but, as a wanderer, is in need of a secure unit that will be there with all the right "tools" as the dementia progresses.) They suggested that after one of the neighbor's episodes, a caregiver will speak with my LO to give reassurance that everything is okay and being handled promptly. I was impressed with this thoughtful response.

This is normal for some my mil is a screamer and quite regular about it too she even screams out in her sleep regularly and no med up to this point has helped this problem.
As MB said dont make a fuss usually most patients/lo's get used to it or dont pay attention its those of us with the "lights on" that it bothers mostly.
Hun no matter where you go if its a Dementia unit your in need of then this is pretty typical your going to hear screaming throughout the day and night its the nature of the disease unfortunately.
Not every sufferer screams out but a good majority of them do at times...some cry at the drop of a hat, shut down, get angry, talk to themselves walls, mirrors, pictures etc.
This is a disease you have got to find tolerance for, for they know not what they do say or scream

My mother was a screamer until she was put on the proper meds

It may be that the screaming neighbor is not a good fit for this facility, but she's being kept there as long as possible because after AL facilities, for patients with dementia, the choices start becoming scary. It is beyond sad.

If you have confidence in this facility, please do know that there are LOs at home and facilities that scream for help. Continue to keep your eyes open but also , like MB aid, don't impose your own viewpoint when it is the view of your LO that counts. Your LO is likely to have periods of decline. Are you saying that you think the environment accelerates your LOs decline?

I wish you best of luck and I hope BG can chip in here. Keep us updated, (((Hugs))).

Thanks for this insight. The facility is pretty calm aside from squabbles with staff (normal dementia things that the staff handles with dignity and care). The neighbor next door, on the other hand, shrieks in the most harrowing voice that someone is in her room, is trying to kill her, help me! help me! and so on. For the first two months, I just brushed it off as normal but I have seen my LO decline into a more withdrawn person. Last week, the neighbor started screaming twice in the hour I was there.

It seems that this sort of thing is the norm. I would never try to move my LO to another facility as the care is great, the place is immaculate, etc. If screaming on a daily basis comes with any ALF, I would prefer my LO stay put and just turn the TV up to drown it out. The ironic thing is that my LO keeps quiet, is neat and easy to care for while the neighbor sometimes needs two caregivers. I wondered if they might see it as a vested interest in keeping the more low-key residents and placing the disruptive ones elsewhere, in a place where screaming does not seem out of place.

Welcome, justadil. Community living situations DO mean less privacy. Residents with dementia DO have behavioral outbursts - it is simply an unavoidable part of the whole deal. Having said that, if it happens frequently, mentioning it to the staff would be in order IF it is truly upsetting your LO. Remember: sometimes things which upset them one moment are forgotten in the next. Don't help your LO remember stuff like this if you can help it! If none of the other residents are having an adverse reaction to the screaming, then the staff is faced with a perplexing decision: who do they medicate if none of the other residents are upset - your LO or the screamer?

I found it very upsetting to ME when Mom was in rehab and some of the other patients were acting out, making noises, etc.!! Mom heard the noises, but unless it was right beside her, she just blew right past the incident. If I didn't say anything to her (like, Did you hear THAT?!!! or Remember that person screaming a few minutes ago? Wasn't that scary?!), she didn't pay any lasting attention to it. It was ME looking toward the heavens and begging for Scotty to beam me up!!

Welcome, justadil...Sorry, no easy answer. Is Your LO in the right placement? Other than that, I hope someone else can help you with particular info about the AD sections of ALFs, but all I can really say is welcome to ECO. Please stand by.... I think in facilities compromises must be made.

If you think the screaming person might be neglected in any way, start documenting the episodes.