An Interesting Case

In 2010, an elderly Alzheimer's patient in Wisconsin was committed to a locked psychiatric unit because she could not cooperate with the nursing home staff.  Wisconsin's Chapter 51 allows an individual to be committed against their will under specific conditions in which a person is a threat to him/herself or others AND has a treatable mental illness, developmental disability or drug dependence.  Her commitment to the facility was approved by a judge.  Earlier this month, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that she was improperly committed and could be ordered to a nursing home.

If I am reading the article correctly, this means that the patient in question has remained in the locked psychiatric unit since 2010.  To say that I'm appalled is an understatement.  Her inability to cooperate with the nursing home staff was not a result of a mental illness, developmental disability or drug dependence.  I do not know if she was aggressive or sexually acting out as a result of her Alzheimer's and the article doesn't provide that insight.  However, I would hope that nursing home staff would be properly trained to recognize when a patient needs more specialized care or be able to administer that care.