Dad is newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's - it didn't come as a shock given his recent behaviours. He is 87 years old, lives alone since mum died and as a diabetic it is important he takes his medication regularly. This is proving a problem, despite our getting a watch for him that is alarmed and goes off at the appropriate time. It seems that he often just ignores it - we only find out that he hasn't checked his blood sugars, and taken his insulin when one of the family calls around to check on him. This week he has also taken to switching off his boiler - not the best idea at this time of year. I have put a big NO sign on the door to the boiler but seems he has ignored that too. We didn't really want to go down the route of a lock and key for the door but it may be our only option. If anyone has any tips to share they would be much appreciated.
Keeping Safe
- Thread starter Sahsah
- Start date
Hello @Sahsah, you are welcome here and I hope you find the forum to be a friendly and supportive place.
Do take a good look around the site as it is a goldmine for information. When I first joined I read old threads for information but then found the AS Publications list and the page where a post code search can be done to check for support services in ones own area. If you are interested in these, clicking the following links will take you there
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets-full-list
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you
You will see that there are Factsheets that will help with things like getting care needs assessments, deciding the level of care required and sorting out useful things like Wills, Power of Attorney etc.
My experience with my wife has been that alarms, notes etc became almost of nil value once she was past the very early stages. I would suggest that a reasonable course of action may be to go down the needs assessment route, mentioned when commenting on the Factsheets.
Now that you have found us I hope you will keep posting as the membership has vast collective knowledge and experience and I have little doubt that others will give you the benefit of that as their experience may have been better than mine.
Do take a good look around the site as it is a goldmine for information. When I first joined I read old threads for information but then found the AS Publications list and the page where a post code search can be done to check for support services in ones own area. If you are interested in these, clicking the following links will take you there
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets-full-list
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you
You will see that there are Factsheets that will help with things like getting care needs assessments, deciding the level of care required and sorting out useful things like Wills, Power of Attorney etc.
My experience with my wife has been that alarms, notes etc became almost of nil value once she was past the very early stages. I would suggest that a reasonable course of action may be to go down the needs assessment route, mentioned when commenting on the Factsheets.
Now that you have found us I hope you will keep posting as the membership has vast collective knowledge and experience and I have little doubt that others will give you the benefit of that as their experience may have been better than mine.
hello @Sahsah
a warm welcome from me too
my dad took to turning off various appliances and notices didn't prevent him as he completely overlooked them when he was 'on a mission' - the only thing that helped was to cover over any switches and makes sure he couldn't see any standby lights etc or he would go hunting for how to turn off whatever was in his line of sight - covering over seemed to mean that he didn't notice them anymore, or didn't recognise them as switches/plugs etc - might be a bit tricky with a boiler, but worth finding a way to prevent his access, preferably in a way he won't notice though as he may try to 'break in' !
the missing taking his meds is a worry - maybe have a chat with his GP so they are aware, and ask if a nurse could visit to help him
definitely worth contacting his Local Authority Adult Services to arrange an assessment of his care needs and get a care package in place with some home care visits and time at a day care centre so you know he is supervised and safe
a warm welcome from me too
my dad took to turning off various appliances and notices didn't prevent him as he completely overlooked them when he was 'on a mission' - the only thing that helped was to cover over any switches and makes sure he couldn't see any standby lights etc or he would go hunting for how to turn off whatever was in his line of sight - covering over seemed to mean that he didn't notice them anymore, or didn't recognise them as switches/plugs etc - might be a bit tricky with a boiler, but worth finding a way to prevent his access, preferably in a way he won't notice though as he may try to 'break in' !
the missing taking his meds is a worry - maybe have a chat with his GP so they are aware, and ask if a nurse could visit to help him
definitely worth contacting his Local Authority Adult Services to arrange an assessment of his care needs and get a care package in place with some home care visits and time at a day care centre so you know he is supervised and safe
We had to fit a cover over the fridge freezer socket behind the unit as mum was removing the plug, moving it to where the toaster was and then switching it off each night! I have no Ida why she was pulling out the freezer, she has never been particularly house proud so wasn't trying to clean behind it.
This year she has begun altering the timers on the boiler so that the heating is not coming on during the day. We are trying to resolve this, we cannot lock the cupboard where the boiler is as it is in the under stairs store cupboard which is accessed daily. We might try to find a cover for the controls on the wall ( not the thermostat which is in the hall) but the British Gas engineer will still need access for servicing or faults. Mum also would get very angry at not being able to access it.
We might see if the wall unit can get disabled so that the controls work on the boiler itself, as mine do, but first we need to get British Gas to accept the LPA and talk to us!
Any other suggestions?
This year she has begun altering the timers on the boiler so that the heating is not coming on during the day. We are trying to resolve this, we cannot lock the cupboard where the boiler is as it is in the under stairs store cupboard which is accessed daily. We might try to find a cover for the controls on the wall ( not the thermostat which is in the hall) but the British Gas engineer will still need access for servicing or faults. Mum also would get very angry at not being able to access it.
We might see if the wall unit can get disabled so that the controls work on the boiler itself, as mine do, but first we need to get British Gas to accept the LPA and talk to us!
Any other suggestions?
My mum was a nightmare with heating controls and the only thing that fixed it was changing the thermostat/programmer for one that worked via WiFi.
What I did was program it to come on whenever the temperature dropped below a certain level and also put times on it. Then I used to hide it in the living room so it worked out the temperature for where she spent the most time.
The bedroom was kept a bit cooler by using radiator temperature controls - if she fiddled with that it didn't do anything dramatic.
The WiFi control wasn't very expensive and it was life changing. Eventually she forgot about the heating anyway.
As others have said, signs and alarms don't tend to work as the person with dementia can't understand/remember what they mean. It sounds as if he needs someone present to prompt him about the medication, as Shedrech says social services should be able to arrange carer visits. However when this was arranged for for my gran, they would prompt her to take her meds but if she refused they would just leave it at that - I know they can't insist, but it wasn't very helpful. Hopefully your dad is more amenable than my gran was.
The boiler seems to be a common obsession. My mother used to turn it off at night and then wonder why she had no hot water and ask the landlord to send an engineer. Fortunately when she started doing it regularly she had a carer in every morning who could be instructed how to turn it on again. I hope you can find a way to make the controls invisible so your dad can't access them.
The boiler seems to be a common obsession. My mother used to turn it off at night and then wonder why she had no hot water and ask the landlord to send an engineer. Fortunately when she started doing it regularly she had a carer in every morning who could be instructed how to turn it on again. I hope you can find a way to make the controls invisible so your dad can't access them.
Thank you so much for such a welcoming and supportive response. I have already requested, and received, a number of the AS publications both for me and other members of the family. They have been really useful. We are also working our way through some of the local support groups close to home and looking to make decisions about which may be the most appropriate. You have all given me such useful information to use going forward for which I am really grateful. Knowing you are not alone is very encouraging.
In terms of Dad's medication I have previously mentioned it to a number of medical professionals who don't seem to be able to offer much more than the alarms we already have in place. Hence I visit him each morning before work, and my brother each evening on his way home.
With regards to the boiler I'm now not convinced that Dad is at fault - there may be a genuine fault with the boiler. Workmen coming tomorrow so I will know more then. If the fault is a real one then I guess that shows I shouldn't jump to conclusions. However if Dad has managed to do something then I guess this is something I am going to have to learn to take in my stride and not get too uptight about it. Plus at least I now have some more ideas from you lovely people about things I may want to try.
Thanks again to you all
In terms of Dad's medication I have previously mentioned it to a number of medical professionals who don't seem to be able to offer much more than the alarms we already have in place. Hence I visit him each morning before work, and my brother each evening on his way home.
With regards to the boiler I'm now not convinced that Dad is at fault - there may be a genuine fault with the boiler. Workmen coming tomorrow so I will know more then. If the fault is a real one then I guess that shows I shouldn't jump to conclusions. However if Dad has managed to do something then I guess this is something I am going to have to learn to take in my stride and not get too uptight about it. Plus at least I now have some more ideas from you lovely people about things I may want to try.
Thanks again to you all
As my mum does not have broadband, a wifi heating controls would not work! I also wanted to stall a door camera and alarm but they also need wifi. We have considered having the Internet installed when she is out
( assuming her telephone provider would do it on our say so, despite them having a copy of the LPA, they are not the most helpful!) but we cannot think where we could hide the control box where she would not find it! She will hunt it out even if it is tucked away as she loves rooting in cupboards and behind furniture!
So far this week, the heating has been fine! Today she was convinced something was wrong with her carpet so after half an hour watching her walk around the room, I managed to convince her it was just squeaky floorboards!
( assuming her telephone provider would do it on our say so, despite them having a copy of the LPA, they are not the most helpful!) but we cannot think where we could hide the control box where she would not find it! She will hunt it out even if it is tucked away as she loves rooting in cupboards and behind furniture!
So far this week, the heating has been fine! Today she was convinced something was wrong with her carpet so after half an hour watching her walk around the room, I managed to convince her it was just squeaky floorboards!
Does your dad administer insulin via pen device? If so get back into your gp and ask for district nurse to come and administer daily, if he’s housebound then I can’t see they can refuse this? If it’s in tablet form then a care agency can set this up so caters visit to prompt him and watch him take it, assuming this would come into the care needs assessment.
In my area we visit housebound patients to administer insulin when they’re forgetting or unable to do this anymore.
Thinking of you
Thanks for this suggestion but unfortunately mums loft is not really accessible, tiny hatch, not boarded and no power or lighting.
We are looking at the top,of her kitchen cupboards if we can get it so far back that she will not see the light at night!
I hid dad's under his Hall cupboard but he still manages to unplug the thing every night. I can't hide the plug as it is in plain sight.
