Q&A: Eating and Drinking - Thurs 30th August, 3-4 pm

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Mark_W

Registered User
Sep 28, 2015
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London
We've also had this question by email from Charlotte:

Hello,

Both my parents have dementia but are still in their own home. My dad has since he retired enjoyed a couple of beers per day with his meals and socially if anything was happening. He can not remember how much he has drunk and gets terribly offended and upset and some times aggressive if it is mentioned. He will swear that he doesn't drink more then two beers per day but he is now drinking what resembles 4 bottles of wine per day and is a danger to himself both when he goes to get them, the risk and evidence of falling over and hurting himself and obviously it is not good for your health to drink that amount of alcohol. So I was wondering if there is any advise in relation to dementia and alcoholism and how to stop the heavy drinking.

Thanks

Charlotte
 

Vicky.H

Registered User
Jul 19, 2016
37
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We've also had this question by email from Charlotte:

Hello,

Both my parents have dementia but are still in their own home. My dad has since he retired enjoyed a couple of beers per day with his meals and socially if anything was happening. He can not remember how much he has drunk and gets terribly offended and upset and some times aggressive if it is mentioned. He will swear that he doesn't drink more then two beers per day but he is now drinking what resembles 4 bottles of wine per day and is a danger to himself both when he goes to get them, the risk and evidence of falling over and hurting himself and obviously it is not good for your health to drink that amount of alcohol. So I was wondering if there is any advise in relation to dementia and alcoholism and how to stop the heavy drinking.

Thanks

Charlotte

Hello, thank you for sharing your situation. I am very sorry to hear that both of your parents have dementia. I can hear how difficult it is to communicate with your father about the amount of drink that he consumes.

Unfortunately, cognitive impairment can cause problems when drinking. For example, a person with dementia might be less aware of how much they have drunk, become more confused due to the alcohol, or suffer adverse interaction with medication.

People should be included in plans and decisions about their care, and helped and supported to make choices. Whether it is choosing food, clothes and activities, their likes and dislikes should be taken into account fully. If a person with dementia can do particular things for themselves, they should be encouraged to continue to do so. In England and Wales the Mental Capacity Act should underpin everything that health and social care professionals do when working with a person with dementia.

Under the Mental Capacity Act a person with dementia will be assessed to see if they are able to make their own decisions. All reasonable help and support should be provided to help them to make their own decisions and to communicate those decisions where necessary, before it is confirmed that they have lost capacity.

I would suggest that you raise your concerns with the GP and your parent’s social worker (if they have one). If not, you can ask for a referral through the GP or contact the Local Authority Adult Social Services team. It sounds like your dad is at increased risk of falls when he drinks and this is understandably of concern. You may like to look at the following link on assessment for care and support: http://bit.ly/2nqhDKE and the Mental Capacity Act: http://bit.ly/2rL0Sfm

In discussion with others who are supporting your parents a care plan can be put in place.
For some people they may replace drinks with alternatives such as non-alcoholic substitutes or only have a drink at a certain time of day such as with a meal. I understand this is not as easy for you to put in place for your parents, perhaps looking to make a small change at a time. If you feel that your dad is at risk to himself through drinking, then you can raise this as a concern for his safety.

I hope this is of some help; please do get in touch with the Helpline if you have any further questions.

Vicky
 

Vicky.H

Registered User
Jul 19, 2016
37
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Thank you for having me here on Talking Point. I want to say thank you to those that have messaged for sharing your thoughtful and personal experiences today.
 

Mark_W

Registered User
Sep 28, 2015
4,036
0
London
That's all we've got time for today and I'd just like to say thank you Vicky for being with us today.

Please do feel free to ask any questions we haven't been able to answer in the main forum for our community to share their experiences with you.

Thanks
 
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