Help taking medication

[June375]

Hi, Harvey is my ex husband who is caring for his 85 year old mother, Dora, who has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer. He doesnt have internet so I have offered to register. Besides Dora is a lovely lady who was very good to me and our children, so I feel very involved anyway.

Harvey is very tired and inexperienced in how to care for his mother as there doesnt appear to be any professionals helping him. I believe Harvey should have a care plan, following Dora's assessment, he is checking on this, at present he is feeling very helpless.

Dora has got to the stage where she cannot remember to take her tablets but doesnt want anyone going into administer them for her as she thinks she can cope. Harvey doesnt know how to encourage her that she needs help. Does anyone have any suggestions without it turning into a fight between them.
Any advice or words of wisdom I know would be appreciated. It is encouraging hearing that there can be good times, at present it is just a chore. I like the idea of taking photos, I must mention that.

 

[Margarita]

Gosh now that bring back memories of when I took over the care of my mother 3 years ago as she would not take her medication for diabetes, then she was diagnosed with AZ,

I was also inexperienced I had to get support from the doctor who brought in a nurse to come around & talk to her & tell her what would happen if she did not take her medication, but still some days she would not listen some days I had to be stone face ,other times lots loving hugs talking of the consequences of not taking the medication like the nurse said I suppose looking back now because mum was not taking the medication for AZ that’s why she was so confused & could not understand ,but we got there at the end perseverance, patience.

Its really hard I know try be Positive get all the outside help you can.

Does you Ex live with his mum ?

 

[KittyCat]

Help with medication

Hi
I have found that the little tablet boxes that you can buy from most chemists marked with the 7 individual named days Mon - Sun, and 4 seperate boxes for each day marked morning, lunch, evening & bed really help. I fill Mum's up on a Monday for the whole week and this way I can check if any have been missed. It's much easier than checking the blister packs, and is easier for them to make less mistakes. They are kept in the kitchen near the kettle - the best way for us of ensuring the medication is seen at least 4 times per day. Although, I still check them everyday, at least this way I now know that they've been taken
Hope this helps
Elaine

 

[connie]

Hi June, warm welcome to T.P. Must admit I always used the tablet boxes Elaine describe.d. In the early days Lionel could manage the boxes himself.

These days I use one for myself, as I was always forgetting if I had taken my own tablets or not. It certainly does making checking up easier. Connie

 

[jks]

They're called Dossett Boxes.
No idea what a 'dossett' is, though.

 

[June375]

Hi, thank you all for your kind replies of enouragement and support. Dora does have the 'dosset' boxes but as she usually doesnt know what day it is she either doesnt take them or takes two days worth because she has forgotten she took them. I'm sure all too familiar. We felt there may have been a slight breakthrough last week as Dora remembered something I had said to her 20 minutes previous. It hasnt happened since, but we all felt a bit encouraged.

Anyway, since posting my message, Dora has had an assessment, apparently lost in the system, and in turn this has kick started everything into place. A carer will be going in each morning to make sure she takes her tablets. Harvey doesnt live with his mother, she lives alone, but he has to go round each evening to check she has taken her tablets, plus the constant phone calls he gets when Dora has lost something or is worried about something.

Dora will be going to a day centre each week which hopefully will help stimulate her brain. We also have tickets to a local tea dance next week, which one of my daughters wants to take her to. Hopefully they can meet others with AZ and carers, and feel less isolated.

All in all, I think things may be getting slightly easier to manage.

June

 

[Lila13]

Glad there will be a carer going in to make sure Dora takes her tablets.

And hope she enjoys the day centre and the tea dance.

Those boxes were recommended to us when my mother was due to be discharged from hospital, but she said "I still won't remember, I don't know which day is which", (hough she gets the day and date right when doctors ask). Anyway when I said to her GP, I think she has been taking too much of her medication, he asked her about each packet and bottle in turn "what is this? why are you taking it? how much have you taken today?" and she had no idea. Then he said "stop all medication". (I did wonder why he and his colleagues had been giving her repeat prescriptions for so long without a check-up to see whether she needed them and whether she was competent to take them on her own, when one of the side effects mentioned is mental confusion.)

Since then she's only had antibiotics for short-term infections, and the carers have administered them.

One of the nurses suggested Prozac. I am glad my mother refused that, having heard what it does to some people.

I am wondering if anything else will be prescribed after the memory clinic. But obviously whatever she takes will require supervision.

I wish she would even consider going to one of the day centres, or a tea dance (she was happily dancing with one of the nurses in hospital).