Hello
I've regularly referred to this forum over the past four years and found it absolutely invaluable, I'm just starting to engage with the so-called "system" and now need to make my first post!
My mum, who is 76 and as fit as a fiddle physically, has been attending a memory clinic and taking reminyl for about four years. During that time activities like walking and ballroom dancing have taken away some of the restlessness and hyperactivity that this condition has caused her, but lately we have moved into a new realm of tears , panics, suspicion - mostly directed at my Dad. The pair have been married for 57 years and inseparable so its heartbreaking for him. I live 130 miles away so am trying to help out as best I can by long distance.
Mum now leaves the house about 15 times a day and comes back sometimes as if she's been for a nice walk, other times as if she's been running away from something - when you ask her she has said that she is looking for a bus to throw herself under. My dad has tried locking the door to keep her in but that sends her into a major panic.
A few weeks ago Mum made a midnight escape through the toilet window to "get away from him" and then two weeks later tried to do the same through the kitchen window, falling on my 80 year old dad, who is nothing like as fit as a fiddle and putting him in hospital.
In the last 3 weeks the medics have prescribed Seroquel, stopped her Reminyl on the basis that it may be providing her with an insight into her condition which she finds unbearable, hence the agitation, panic, wanderings and tears. They have now stopped the Seroquel which didn't seem to be doing anything and prescribed Serenace which they are now increasing.
They have also offered a day a week at the day hospital to give my dad a break but told us that she cries in the car all the way there.
I have asked for a meeting with the consultant, which the CPN tells me today I won't get - can that be right?? They have also agreed to a family meeting week after next with the doctor, social worker, CPN.
Does anyone have any advice, firstly about the medication - is stopping the reminyl a good idea for instance? Secondly how do we get this "system" to work for us - what do we have a right to expect from them?
Thanks
I've regularly referred to this forum over the past four years and found it absolutely invaluable, I'm just starting to engage with the so-called "system" and now need to make my first post!
My mum, who is 76 and as fit as a fiddle physically, has been attending a memory clinic and taking reminyl for about four years. During that time activities like walking and ballroom dancing have taken away some of the restlessness and hyperactivity that this condition has caused her, but lately we have moved into a new realm of tears , panics, suspicion - mostly directed at my Dad. The pair have been married for 57 years and inseparable so its heartbreaking for him. I live 130 miles away so am trying to help out as best I can by long distance.
Mum now leaves the house about 15 times a day and comes back sometimes as if she's been for a nice walk, other times as if she's been running away from something - when you ask her she has said that she is looking for a bus to throw herself under. My dad has tried locking the door to keep her in but that sends her into a major panic.
A few weeks ago Mum made a midnight escape through the toilet window to "get away from him" and then two weeks later tried to do the same through the kitchen window, falling on my 80 year old dad, who is nothing like as fit as a fiddle and putting him in hospital.
In the last 3 weeks the medics have prescribed Seroquel, stopped her Reminyl on the basis that it may be providing her with an insight into her condition which she finds unbearable, hence the agitation, panic, wanderings and tears. They have now stopped the Seroquel which didn't seem to be doing anything and prescribed Serenace which they are now increasing.
They have also offered a day a week at the day hospital to give my dad a break but told us that she cries in the car all the way there.
I have asked for a meeting with the consultant, which the CPN tells me today I won't get - can that be right?? They have also agreed to a family meeting week after next with the doctor, social worker, CPN.
Does anyone have any advice, firstly about the medication - is stopping the reminyl a good idea for instance? Secondly how do we get this "system" to work for us - what do we have a right to expect from them?
Thanks