Hi
My Dad is very very low at the moment and isn't eating much at all, refusing food at the care home, or only eating a little bit and has lost a lot of weight. I am wondering if he has just decided to give up? Has anyone else had any experience with this sort of thing? He is 82, was diagnosed last july with Alzheimers but had been bad for at least 18 months before.
He has been in the care home for 6 months and has settled in very well. Before at home he had been hiding food and lost a lot of weight, and put some back on when he first moved into the home. They then tried to get him off the Respiridone and as the dose got very low his behavoiour changed with him getting very agitated and angry, particularly when staff were trying to change him (he is doubly incontinent). The decision was made to up the Respiridone again, which was done about a month ago. In the last few weeks he has become more and more depressed.
They are talking of trying him on some new anti depressents, which I don't have much faith in, as I have read that they are not very effective on people with dementia.
I just wanted to share, it is so sad. I hate to see him so low and I honestly don't want him to go on for years suffering, and the honest truth of me saying I hope he passes on sooner rather than later makes me feel like a complete and utter cow, and I get depressed from that, and as and when he does go I will be heart broken to have lost my Dad.
Sorry I am not having a very good day today.
My Dad is very very low at the moment and isn't eating much at all, refusing food at the care home, or only eating a little bit and has lost a lot of weight. I am wondering if he has just decided to give up? Has anyone else had any experience with this sort of thing? He is 82, was diagnosed last july with Alzheimers but had been bad for at least 18 months before.
He has been in the care home for 6 months and has settled in very well. Before at home he had been hiding food and lost a lot of weight, and put some back on when he first moved into the home. They then tried to get him off the Respiridone and as the dose got very low his behavoiour changed with him getting very agitated and angry, particularly when staff were trying to change him (he is doubly incontinent). The decision was made to up the Respiridone again, which was done about a month ago. In the last few weeks he has become more and more depressed.
They are talking of trying him on some new anti depressents, which I don't have much faith in, as I have read that they are not very effective on people with dementia.
I just wanted to share, it is so sad. I hate to see him so low and I honestly don't want him to go on for years suffering, and the honest truth of me saying I hope he passes on sooner rather than later makes me feel like a complete and utter cow, and I get depressed from that, and as and when he does go I will be heart broken to have lost my Dad.
Sorry I am not having a very good day today.