My Mother has AD - Sectioned info Please?

[Ness23]

My Mother is 80 and was diagnosed with AD in 2011.I would say she is stage 5 of 6. My 81 year old Dad is her carer and wants Mum to remain at home as long as possible, but it is getting difficult. He has a lady who he employs to get her up in the morning, washed, give Mum her breakfast and meds. We have under the doctors agreement stopped all pharmaceutical's for now, doing more harm then good and difficult to administer. I would like to try alternative medicine, has anyone seem any improvement going down this route? I wanted to try this from onset, but my Dad was scared and just did what Mum's medical team advised.
When I visited a couple of weeks ago (14 day stay), Mum had declined from a 2 month visit before (I live in France). Prior to this she had been admitted to hospital twice with UTI's. We now believe she has another UTI and has gone back into hospital as she will not drink enough fluids (hardly at all), will not get out of bed and getting her to take prescribed antibiotics was difficult. Also bed wetting. They cannot obtain a urine sample, so it has been decided to treat the urinary tract again just in case. But due to her behaviour and looking online it would appear she is ill with the same ailment, so I agree with the consultant/doctors. Mum will receive antibiotics intravenously.
After I left the UK, the nurse from the mental health team visited my Dad routine visit. He described my Mum's moods, she often hits out, not hard, but if she knocked my Dad, he would fall as he isn't in tip-top health. Spends long periods in bed (we get her up and she goes off to bed). Hygiene is a problem, how ever much we try, I managed to get her showered once in 2 weeks and social services once, which was a nightmare as she thought the lady was attacking her. Dad tries to give her a wash, but she becomes difficult and is strong when she wants to be and stubborn!
The mental health team now believe she should be sectioned and after reading online about it, thought it could help, but I do not know enough about what they would do, apart from possibility of giving Mum more drugs, which I'm not keen on. I've searched but cannot find any articles.
The consultant at their local hospital said he wouldn't advise it, having Mum sectioned. So after thinking it might be good for her, I'm now wondering if they just pump her full of meds and she just becomes a zombie and forgets who we all are. She knows all her family still even at this stage.
I am just wondering if anyone has a relative/friend who has been sectioned? If so, in your opinion was it good for the AD patient? Did it help with mood swings, have they improved? What is actually involved.
It is difficult to know what to do for the best for my parents.
Thanks in advance.
N & family

 

[Shedrech]

hello Ness23
and welcome to TP
a worrying time for your dad and you
we do have members who have direct experience of the person they care for being sectioned - many report that it was a necessary though fraught experience which has indeed helped the person with dementia who could be carefully monitored and their meds tweaked - I don't recall any saying that meds were given unwisely; it isn't usual practice these days for drugs to be used simply to sedate the person
I just wanted to respond, so you know your post is being seen, as it may take a little while for folk to see your thread; your title does make it clear what the topic is
alternative medicine is discussed fairly regularly - no-one has really been able to generally convince that it is helpful - maybe try a search in the box right at the top of this page
best wishes

 

[Lavender45]

My mum was sectioned Ness23 initially under a section 2 and then a section 3. Mum was under section from February up until her transfer to a nursing home 5 weeks ago.

My mum was sectioned as a result of her aggression, though she was also a wanderer. Various medications were tried in order to try to give my mum some calm from the torment of being so angry. My mum is 81 and the doses of medication were always kept as low as possible. I will be truthful and say no medication has made any huge difference to my mum, she proved either resistant to it, or built a tolerance within days, but that is just my mum. In all honesty there were times I'd wished they had tried higher doses, but given her age that wasn't advisable.

My mum received good care whilst sectioned. The staff were specialist, nothing really phased them and given my mum's behavioural challenges they had a lot to deal with from her. Mum was never ever over drugged and zombie like.

The idea if sectioning isn't nice, but it can be a positive thing. I don't think it's ever done lightly. If they decide this is the best way forward for your mum my experience says there's nothing to fear. I would rather my mum had medication to help her feel calmer rather than her being as aggressive as she was (and as she's pretty much drug resistant still is at times). There were times I feared for her blood pressure or that she'd have a stroke she was so wound up. I'd rather she had drugs if they stopped her feeling that way.

 

[Oh Knickers]

Hi N,

Wow, you packed a lot in your post.

Alternative medication
I have a sibling who, out of the very best intentions, have given mother walloping amounts of tablets. Firstly, carers do tend to be reluctant to hand the tablets out - they prefer blister packaging so that there can be no misunderstanding as to tablets and doses. There are also legal requirements which need to adhered to as they are not medically trained. Check with your mum's carers on this.

Having been spending a huge amount a year on tablets and tests over the years have they made any difference? Realistically, no. It has not slowed the FTD (Fronto Temporal Dementia) nor the galloping osteoporosis, nor her general health and her memory is so increasingly shot she remember little beyond the moment.

As to the sectioning. Well, whilst you are trying to the best for your mum - and well done you for this. You have a mum who is self-neglecting, resisting drinking, washing and care, is also getting aggressive and physically difficult. It sounds an awful lot for your dad to cope with at his age.

Have we had mother sectioned - no. Lucky us, or is it, our vile mother has turned into rather a happy and appreciative sweetie. But I have researched care homes as that is likely to be necessary in the next 18 months - 2 years.

You will see what other people have written. These sectionings are not done lightly. Partly due to the respecting the dignity of the person (and family) concerned. Partly due to the huge costs entailed in sectioning. Decent care homes range from £600 -£1,000 per week. Hosital care starts at £5,000. Local Authorities and Health Authorities do also have to justify a sectioning due to court cases from the past.

Form the sound of it your dad has been listened to which, having read other posts, is nothing short of a miracle. It sounds as though he is really no longer coping. Finally, there has been seen to be a need for sectioning for your mum. A list of criteria do have to be met.

May I suggest you read Lady A's posts. Her husband was given medication as he was living in a personal hell which the tablets alleviated. Not to say your mum is experiencing hell but tablets may be of help to her and to make the world a bit less scary for her.

I do hope you find the best resolution.

 

[Kevinl]

Hi Ness, welcome to TP
My wife was sectioned 2 then they have to go to section 3 after 28 days.
The process is simple enough they call a "best interests" meeting, doctor, social worker, psych consultant, an independent mental health advisor and me, I seem to remember there being a couple of other people there too from the hospital.
They all agreed that it was in her best interests to be placed in an secure assessment unit where they could look at different medications and wait until the aggression stopped.
It was the best thing that happened to her in many ways as the unit was staffed with all the professionals you could think of all monitoring her on a constant basis.
After 6 months she was able to be discharged into an EMI nursing home, she's still there now, challenging behaviour but manageable by the staff there.
They don't medicate people these days to sedate them, it's very much frowned down on, the medications they used are all the standard ones many people on here use but in higher doses, different combinations and things to get the optimum mix of drugs.
The real issue is what does you dad think? He'll be joining me in the "home alone" club, there's quite a few of us on here who've had a partner go in care and it's not easy to adjust to.
You can read the my story on the link below.
K

https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/kevinl-that-was-a-week-to-remember.89276/

 

[Amy in the US]

Ness23, hello and welcome to Talking Point. I'm sorry to hear of the difficult situation with your parents and that you had to find your way here to TP.

Overall, I would say that it sounds as if the current situation is not sustainable and that something needs to change. Your dad is not getting any younger and your Mum's dementia is advancing, as it does. Care needs change and it can be hard to keep up with them, no shame in that.

What the best solution for your parents is, I don't know. Definitely more support for your dad and your mum, but in the form of an increased care package, more carer visits, more help around the house (with laundry and cleaning and cooking), a live in carer, a care home, I don't know. (I would venture to say that something like day care for your mum may not be an option if she is resistant to personal care and being out of bed, but perhaps I am mistaken.)

Recurrent UTIs are a big problem for PWDs (persons with dementia) and they can cause a lot of behaviour changes for the PWD and be difficult to get rid of. That is definitely not helping the situation. If you haven't already had a consult from the local (In)Continence Nurse or Clinic or Team, that would be something to ask for. It can't hurt and they may be able to offer helpful advice or suggestions, as well as supplies. There are products that can help to manage urinary incontinence, such as pads, pullups, Kylie sheets, absorbent pads, and detergents to help with the urine stains and odors.

If your mum is spending a lot of time immobile and/or in bed, and has urinary incontinence, then I would be concerned about skin breakdown. You do not want pressure sores; they are very difficult to heal. She may need an airflow mattress and regular re-positioning. I think there are also special pads and cushions for chairs. The OT or district nurse would know.

If she has to go into hospital again for IV treatment for the UTIs, I'm not sure I would agree to a discharge until an assessment has been done, both of her needs and the house, and some additional support put in place. UK regulars here know better than I how to achieve this, but I do know that if your parents are in the UK, then the state (not your dad or you) has duty of care.

Regarding sectioning: I do know we have had reports here on TP of members having someone sectioned. I am not where I can do a search for you right now, but can come back later and post some links to past threads here on TP that discuss this, if that would be helpful for you.

My mother underwent the US version of sectioning and while it's not the same, exactly, I can tell you it was the best thing that could have happened for her. This involved: getting her out of a dangerous situation (at home alone, vulnerable, no support, unable to care for herself), getting her medications straightened out (she couldn't take them properly and was over-and-under-dosing on everything, which caused health problems), getting a complete medical workup, getting treatment for various medical issues, getting a diagnosis, a full assessment of her neurological situation, and determining the appropriate level of care and helping me place her in a care home that could meet her needs. At no time was she physically restrained (not permitted here where we live), nor was she ever "pumped full of meds," i.e., chemically restrained or sedated. The ward was a locked unit, but just like any other hospital ward, except more staff and a dedicated dining room, lounge, and activity room, plus lots of windows, a piano, and an aviary. The staff were all amazing and the care excellent. I would never hesitate to recommend this to anyone. (In the States, it might be called the Geriatric Psychiatry Unit, the Senior Behavioral Health Unit, or similar, and "sectioning" is usually an "involuntary admission," what we used to call "committing" someone.)

Sorry for the personal digression, but hope it helps.

Regarding alternative medicine: I have no experience of this, sorry. The topic comes up often in my support group and to my knowledge, there isn't anything, prescription medication or otherwise, that will help Alzheimer's disease past a certain point. It is a progressive neurological condition and sooner or later, the patient declines. My understanding is that the prescription medications that are available to Alzheimer's patients do not cure, reverse, or halt the disease, only mitigate some of the symptoms, for some patients, to some degree, for some period of time. This is not to say that there may not be medications or interventions that will help related issues (behaviour, anxiety, et cetera) or other medical issues (blood pressure, diabetes, infections) that can make the dementia worse. Do keep in mind that the physicians need to know about everything a patient takes; even vitamins and over the counter medications can have interactions or side effects.

If sectioning is a way to get your mother the care she needs and your dad the help he needs, then perhaps it is worth considering.

I am sorry not to have been of more help, and wish you and your family all the best.

 

[Ness23]

hello Ness23
and welcome to TP
a worrying time for your dad and you
we do have members who have direct experience of the person they care for being sectioned - many report that it was a necessary though fraught experience which has indeed helped the person with dementia who could be carefully monitored and their meds tweaked - I don't recall any saying that meds were given unwisely; it isn't usual practice these days for drugs to be used simply to sedate the person
I just wanted to respond, so you know your post is being seen, as it may take a little while for folk to see your thread; your title does make it clear what the topic is
alternative medicine is discussed fairly regularly - no-one has really been able to generally convince that it is helpful - maybe try a search in the box right at the top of this page
best wishes

 

[Ness23]

hello Ness23
and welcome to TP
a worrying time for your dad and you
we do have members who have direct experience of the person they care for being sectioned - many report that it was a necessary though fraught experience which has indeed helped the person with dementia who could be carefully monitored and their meds tweaked - I don't recall any saying that meds were given unwisely; it isn't usual practice these days for drugs to be used simply to sedate the person
I just wanted to respond, so you know your post is being seen, as it may take a little while for folk to see your thread; your title does make it clear what the topic is
alternative medicine is discussed fairly regularly - no-one has really been able to generally convince that it is helpful - maybe try a search in the box right at the top of this page
best wishes

Thank-you for your comments/help. x