Hi Everyone,
I joined this forum a month ago and have spent that time just reading everyone's heartbreaking stories and worrying myself about what lies ahead! I really need some advice but will give you some background info (I will try to be brief!).
My mum was diagnosed with AD about 2yrs ago, she is 85 yrs old, lives with my dad (her primary carer) who is 80yrs old and suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis and they live about 150 miles away from me.
At the moment she has a carer who visits her for 1hr on Mondays and Fridays and for 2hrs on Wednesdays. Before Christmas she was attending a day centre for two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday) but found it too much and ended up not going at all.
At the moment she is at the stage where her short term memory is very poor, she constantly loses things and can become very irritable. I speak to her every day on the phone and generally just listen as, to have a two way conversation, is difficult.
She has been prescribed Aricept as well as blood pressure tablets but up to and around Christmas, was taking nothing on a regular basis. Just after Xmas the day centre (following discussions with the Carers) prescribed the antipsychotic drug trifluoperazine because she was becoming so paranoid and upset even though they hadn't seen her for weeks. She has not seen her GP for months and no one was aware that she was not taking the Aricept - her GP thought the day centre was looking after her and the day centre did not seem concerned that they had not seen her for months.
My mum is absolutely adamant that she will not go in to respite care to give my dad a rest and so, to help, they come down and stay with us for a week every 4/5 weeks, my husband picks them up one weekend and takes them back the following weekend. They are coming down next weekend their third visit since Xmas.
We have a meeting in 2 weeks with the Social Workers - and so to my questions.
1. Mum has started hearing voices and thinking that there are people in the
bedroom. She sees shapes and thinks that people are climbing up the wwardrobes. When I suggest that she might be dreaming, she gets mad at me. What can I say because she is becoming frightened to go to bed?
2. At the meeting with the Social Workers , I am worried that they will want to go
ahead with the antipsychotic drugs as her paranoia is getting worse. Does anyone have any experience with these drugs. I looked up some of the possible side effects and they include tongue movement, chewing motion, protrusion of tongue etc etc and that if these symptoms occur then they could be permanent! Has anyone any experience of this?
3. And finally, what sort of questions should I be asking the social workers? I do not know what sort of care is offered. I am so worried that they will suggest that she cannot stay at home much longer because I know it will be the beginning of the end if she has to go in a home - she will fight tooth and nail.
I am sorry this is so long, I have been debating whether to post this but have finally decided to bite the bullet.
Thanks for listening JanJ
I joined this forum a month ago and have spent that time just reading everyone's heartbreaking stories and worrying myself about what lies ahead! I really need some advice but will give you some background info (I will try to be brief!).
My mum was diagnosed with AD about 2yrs ago, she is 85 yrs old, lives with my dad (her primary carer) who is 80yrs old and suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis and they live about 150 miles away from me.
At the moment she has a carer who visits her for 1hr on Mondays and Fridays and for 2hrs on Wednesdays. Before Christmas she was attending a day centre for two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday) but found it too much and ended up not going at all.
At the moment she is at the stage where her short term memory is very poor, she constantly loses things and can become very irritable. I speak to her every day on the phone and generally just listen as, to have a two way conversation, is difficult.
She has been prescribed Aricept as well as blood pressure tablets but up to and around Christmas, was taking nothing on a regular basis. Just after Xmas the day centre (following discussions with the Carers) prescribed the antipsychotic drug trifluoperazine because she was becoming so paranoid and upset even though they hadn't seen her for weeks. She has not seen her GP for months and no one was aware that she was not taking the Aricept - her GP thought the day centre was looking after her and the day centre did not seem concerned that they had not seen her for months.
My mum is absolutely adamant that she will not go in to respite care to give my dad a rest and so, to help, they come down and stay with us for a week every 4/5 weeks, my husband picks them up one weekend and takes them back the following weekend. They are coming down next weekend their third visit since Xmas.
We have a meeting in 2 weeks with the Social Workers - and so to my questions.
1. Mum has started hearing voices and thinking that there are people in the
bedroom. She sees shapes and thinks that people are climbing up the wwardrobes. When I suggest that she might be dreaming, she gets mad at me. What can I say because she is becoming frightened to go to bed?
2. At the meeting with the Social Workers , I am worried that they will want to go
ahead with the antipsychotic drugs as her paranoia is getting worse. Does anyone have any experience with these drugs. I looked up some of the possible side effects and they include tongue movement, chewing motion, protrusion of tongue etc etc and that if these symptoms occur then they could be permanent! Has anyone any experience of this?
3. And finally, what sort of questions should I be asking the social workers? I do not know what sort of care is offered. I am so worried that they will suggest that she cannot stay at home much longer because I know it will be the beginning of the end if she has to go in a home - she will fight tooth and nail.
I am sorry this is so long, I have been debating whether to post this but have finally decided to bite the bullet.
Thanks for listening JanJ
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