Getting help?

[RobinHood]

Hi, I took my mum to the Drs 4 months ago as she was having very paranoid delusions. She was referred to a local mental health team and diagnosed with schizophrenia.

I feel that she does not have that but has some form of dementia that is causing this. Since her diagnosis she has been prescribed medication. She seemed calmer, but more spaced out. Now she has run out of medication and hasn’t had any visits from the mental health ppl for more than two weeks. She doesn’t understand that she has a problem and thinks that she’s ok and everyone else is wrong. I don’t even know if she has been taking the pills as prescribed. She seems to have no clue what she’s taking and when to take them.

I’ve tried contacting the dr and mental health team in the past but they don’t seem to want to talk to me about anything. I’ve even been contacted by the police about her strange calls to them.

I get patient confidentiality and all that but no one seems to be helping her. I don’t know what to do. Has anyone experienced this? And what did you do to help? thanks

 

[karaokePete]

Hello @RobinHood, you are welcome here and I hope you find the forum to be a friendly and supportive place.

I hope you have time to 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., if any of that hasn't already been done. There is also a Dementia Guide in the list.

Given the existing diagnosis getting the LPA sorted may assist you in talking to the medics. There is also a good organisation with a helpline that can be found by following link http://www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/helpline/

Now that you have found us I hope you will keep posting as the membership has vast collective knowledge and experience.

 

[Pete1]

Hi @RobinHood. welcome....as an immediate action, if you can, you need Mum to give written permission for the GP and medical professionals to deal with you directly....speak to the GP as to the form this needs to take meet their requirements, then draw it up and discuss it with Mum explaining that you want to help and support her, and if she is happy she can sign it and grant you permission.

 

[canary]

I was going to suggest the same as @Pete1
You could also write a letter to the GP and CMH team, so that at least they are aware of all your concerns and it will be on her file.

 

[RobinHood]

Thank you all for your comments, very helpful. I will definitely write to the Drs and look at getting mum to sign a permission letter. Thanks so much for your help