An elderly man was brought in after a car accident. The patient was found to be somewhat confused and not able to do higher-level problem-solving. The patient stayed overnight in the ED thinking that he could get his car fixed and drive home. Notes state that this plan would need to be clarified in the morning. Kevin started looking into this plan as well as assessing the patient's ability to execute the plan.

Kevin determined in speaking with the patient and the wife that the patient had gone to Fairfield, Maine to pick up a dog for his wife. The patient was supposed to be going home to the Northern Coast of Maine at the Canadian border but went in the wrong direction and had a car accident. In a discussion with the wife Kevin discovered that the patient could not read a map, did not have a cell phone, and was confused outside of his normal environment. Kevin spoke with his wife and discussed that there was no safe plan for the patient to get home on his own. The patient was six hours from home here in Norway.

Kevin coached the wife to understand that someone needed to come pick this gentleman up from the hospital. The wife did arrange for a family friend to come pick up the patient. Per the team, the patient actually cried from relief when the friend arrived knowing that he would be able to get home safely.

Kevin identified the level of confusion that the patient was experiencing, he worked diligently to assure a safe patient discharge all while maintaining the patient's dignity. Kevin throughout the day assured that the patient was cared for and treated well.