I found out this evening my dad is being put on Risperidone starting tomorrow. I'm not sure of the exact dose other than its half a pill to start with so I will take a spare pill cutter up in the afternoon. Sister surprisingly informed me via a fairly long email to which I am grateful.
I am particularly concerned that dad is probably only being placed on this now so as the LA can avoid finding dad a CH placement. Three weeks ago it looked almost certain that he would be going into a CH as his care company had said they could no longer meet his needs. A time factor of around 3 weeks was apparently mentioned to my sister by ASC, when they spoke to her after getting hold of me first. If I'm honest it was quite a relief as I had only just emailed the care company that morning very concerned at how my dad was behaving after seeing the notes carers had been making in his care book at his home.. Things got worse with dads behaviour only days later.
Dad has been being monitored for several months due to his verbal aggression towards his carers and refusal of some of his personnel care. The care company went back to ASC and told them they were unable to provide dad with the care he needs and its not just his behaviour but the fact they are finding it difficult to provide his personnel care because of his refusals which they feel is putting his general health at risk, dad is also declining most of his hot lunchtime meals.
My sister and I were both asked separately by phone how we felt and we were it seems at last in some agreement for once. We have both said this is what our dad now needs, even the guy from ASC said having spoken with the care company that it was felt that everyone had come to the same conclusion this included his view too from what he had been told.
Dad is 86 years old this month, lives alone is doubly incontinent and his Mixed Dementia has declined a lot his verbal aggression which has been going on for a long time has now escalated with more physical threatening behaviour as mentioned on my recent posts. Dad is also having many delusions exhibiting paranoia and has been a bit destructive with his home and broken his TV by either throwing something at it or punching it.
I had spoken with dads GP back in February of this year following a review of his dementia with a Dementia Nurse which I took him to and she advised me dads medication be looked at as I discreetly said he was being quite verbal with his carers. The GP that I then spoke with at the time told me that as the other drugs that were available had a sedative effect and dad lived on his own it wasn't really advisable for him to be given anything else suggesting dad could fall etc, he was at that time and still is on Donepezil.
Memantine was added a couple of months ago and now the intention seems to add the Risperidone and use with the Memantine so I'm assuming the Donepezil is actually being withdrawn.
I can't say I'm happy about this decision especially as I really do feel dad is in need of 24/7 care in fact I think its long overdue he couldn't even put his TV on today and declined my offer to go back over and switch on for him, he had been asleep earlier in the day when I took him some bits in so I didn't wake him and the TV was on then.
Dad can be quite unresponsive on visits or sometimes fine its quite mixed and I have to admit I visit dads home feeling quite uneasy sometimes not knowing if he is going to suddenly get aggressive.
I get distressed when I get home especially if the visit has not been good.
I honestly feel this decision has just been made in order to keep dad in his own home rather than give him the care he needs and is based on the fact that dad will have to be part funded by the LA as he has no property only his two pensions which would pay towards a CH placement he also has some savings but these are just under the threshold so assume they can't use them.
I'm feeling quite angry although not altogether surprised perhaps the tone in the guys voice when he said does dad have property and I said no I should have been wary as the no problem he replied with didn't sound too convincing when I think back now.
Its not that I really want my dad to go into a CH because I know it means such a big change for him and us and I'm especially worried it means we won't be able to see him much or maybe not at all with current situation but I don't think its about what we want anymore its about what my dad needs.
Dad needs to feel safe, he needs more company and he needs much more than carer visits and we can provide and I need to know he can get these things.
Everything in my head has been trying to adjust to what I thought was coming dads admittance to a CH. I was beginning to see it was for the best but now everything is back to where we were my mind thinking nothing other than thoughts of dad I'm back to feeling very stressed again.
Everything that was said to us appears to have been backtracked on the care company had even said they didn't want to send carers in anymore unless a family member was in attendance too so this has been done it was assumed this was until dad was given a CH placement.
I don't know yet if with this new medication the GP has prescribed under advisement from the Crisis Team that it will still be the case that a member of family attends all the carer visits too but in reality its too much at least for me and I don't expect my sister is keen either as she already goes every morning to do his breakfast. Dad has 4 x daily care visits and I'm not within walking distance of his home so travel over by car.
I am particularly concerned that dad is probably only being placed on this now so as the LA can avoid finding dad a CH placement. Three weeks ago it looked almost certain that he would be going into a CH as his care company had said they could no longer meet his needs. A time factor of around 3 weeks was apparently mentioned to my sister by ASC, when they spoke to her after getting hold of me first. If I'm honest it was quite a relief as I had only just emailed the care company that morning very concerned at how my dad was behaving after seeing the notes carers had been making in his care book at his home.. Things got worse with dads behaviour only days later.
Dad has been being monitored for several months due to his verbal aggression towards his carers and refusal of some of his personnel care. The care company went back to ASC and told them they were unable to provide dad with the care he needs and its not just his behaviour but the fact they are finding it difficult to provide his personnel care because of his refusals which they feel is putting his general health at risk, dad is also declining most of his hot lunchtime meals.
My sister and I were both asked separately by phone how we felt and we were it seems at last in some agreement for once. We have both said this is what our dad now needs, even the guy from ASC said having spoken with the care company that it was felt that everyone had come to the same conclusion this included his view too from what he had been told.
Dad is 86 years old this month, lives alone is doubly incontinent and his Mixed Dementia has declined a lot his verbal aggression which has been going on for a long time has now escalated with more physical threatening behaviour as mentioned on my recent posts. Dad is also having many delusions exhibiting paranoia and has been a bit destructive with his home and broken his TV by either throwing something at it or punching it.
I had spoken with dads GP back in February of this year following a review of his dementia with a Dementia Nurse which I took him to and she advised me dads medication be looked at as I discreetly said he was being quite verbal with his carers. The GP that I then spoke with at the time told me that as the other drugs that were available had a sedative effect and dad lived on his own it wasn't really advisable for him to be given anything else suggesting dad could fall etc, he was at that time and still is on Donepezil.
Memantine was added a couple of months ago and now the intention seems to add the Risperidone and use with the Memantine so I'm assuming the Donepezil is actually being withdrawn.
I can't say I'm happy about this decision especially as I really do feel dad is in need of 24/7 care in fact I think its long overdue he couldn't even put his TV on today and declined my offer to go back over and switch on for him, he had been asleep earlier in the day when I took him some bits in so I didn't wake him and the TV was on then.
Dad can be quite unresponsive on visits or sometimes fine its quite mixed and I have to admit I visit dads home feeling quite uneasy sometimes not knowing if he is going to suddenly get aggressive.
I get distressed when I get home especially if the visit has not been good.
I honestly feel this decision has just been made in order to keep dad in his own home rather than give him the care he needs and is based on the fact that dad will have to be part funded by the LA as he has no property only his two pensions which would pay towards a CH placement he also has some savings but these are just under the threshold so assume they can't use them.
I'm feeling quite angry although not altogether surprised perhaps the tone in the guys voice when he said does dad have property and I said no I should have been wary as the no problem he replied with didn't sound too convincing when I think back now.
Its not that I really want my dad to go into a CH because I know it means such a big change for him and us and I'm especially worried it means we won't be able to see him much or maybe not at all with current situation but I don't think its about what we want anymore its about what my dad needs.
Dad needs to feel safe, he needs more company and he needs much more than carer visits and we can provide and I need to know he can get these things.
Everything in my head has been trying to adjust to what I thought was coming dads admittance to a CH. I was beginning to see it was for the best but now everything is back to where we were my mind thinking nothing other than thoughts of dad I'm back to feeling very stressed again.
Everything that was said to us appears to have been backtracked on the care company had even said they didn't want to send carers in anymore unless a family member was in attendance too so this has been done it was assumed this was until dad was given a CH placement.
I don't know yet if with this new medication the GP has prescribed under advisement from the Crisis Team that it will still be the case that a member of family attends all the carer visits too but in reality its too much at least for me and I don't expect my sister is keen either as she already goes every morning to do his breakfast. Dad has 4 x daily care visits and I'm not within walking distance of his home so travel over by car.
Last edited: