I need help please.

[piglet70]

Hi all my father has started to drink more and more alcohol (whisky) and is falling over a lot I am afraid he is going to seriously hurt himself as it is he is battered and bruised where he has fallen over previously, I am wondering whether he is forgetting how much he has drunk and having another one thinking it's his first etc he was diagnosed with vascula dementia about 4 years ago but I think he has had it slightly longer also he has other health issues which he takes quite a bit of medication for he is 85 year's old I have taken his whisky away from him has anyone got any ideas on how to help him is it possible that a water infection may be making things worse as I suspect he may have one I will be addressing this tomorrow, any thoughts anyone has on this will be gratefully received thanks.

 

[Bika77]

Hi all my father has started to drink more and more alcohol (whisky) and is falling over a lot I am afraid he is going to seriously hurt himself as it is he is battered and bruised where he has fallen over previously, I am wondering whether he is forgetting how much he has drunk and having another one thinking it's his first etc he was diagnosed with vascula dementia about 4 years ago but I think he has had it slightly longer also he has other health issues which he takes quite a bit of medication for he is 85 year's old I have taken his whisky away from him has anyone got any ideas on how to help him is it possible that a water infection may be making things worse as I suspect he may have one I will be addressing this tomorrow, any thoughts anyone has on this will be gratefully received thanks.

I think taking the alcohol away is a good idea. Is he able to buy more himself? Can he drink with the medication he has? My Dad had to give up alcohol many years ago because of another illness so I haven't had this problem thank goodness. I think maybe speak to his doctor too.

 

[sue38]

My mum had an issue with alcohol a few years ago. Like your dad I suspect she had forgotten how much she had had. She was prone to falling after drinking, which as she has osteoporosis, led to serious injury.

We had to remove all alcohol from the house and replace it with non alcoholic wine, which she happily drinks although she knows it's non alcoholic. Personally I think it tastes foul, but she likes it, and it's a lot cheaper than the real thing.

 

[Shedrech]

Hi piglet70

Is he Ok with you taking away the bottle?
If he becomes aggressive please don't be afraid to call the police for back up

If not would he notice if you watered the whisky down a lot so that he is pouring himself a drink but you know it's not so strong - if he is definitely after the alcohol hit I appreciate this won't work - but if he's just in the habit of going through the 'ritual' and isn't really tasting it, it might be worth trying as a standby
does he drink it neat - or put in soda or something - if in another liquid, can you do the pouring and cheat and hand him a glass of soda with whisky round the rim so he gets a taste at first but only really drinks the soda?
would he accept a low/non alcoholic lager or beer or wine instead - again, if you pour it he won't see what it is - or might he not notice?

seeing the GP about a UTI is a good idea
maybe take the chance to update the GP on your dad's current situation? might be a chance to get more support in place to help you care for him

welcome to TP, you'll find lots of information and understanding and sympathy here sorry just seen you've been a member for a few years, so you know this already !

 

[susy]

Another thing to try is limiting the amount he can have by only having a small amount in a bottle. Keep a big bottle out of sight and top up his bottle when he can't see you ready for the following evening with just enough.
I'm assuming he is only drinking on an evening here and not able to go to the shops and buy more when he sees a small amount left..... Lots of assumptions there, so sorry if this is no good xx

 

[Witzend]

When my mother started hitting the sherry bottle heavily, we began to water it down, by about a quarter. She would not leave the house and my brother did most of her shopping, so it was easy for him to do this before handing it over.

Rather belatedly it occurred to us that she was hitting the bottle because she had forgotten how to make herself a cup of tea, which would have been her preferred option before. Her cleaning lady/helper told us late in the day that she had more than once arrived soon after 9 am, and found the kettle stone cold but our mother on the sherry already. So maybe she just wanted something to drink, and that was the easiest thing. She had by then no sense of time, so it wouldn't have occurred to her that it was far too early for 'drinks'.

 

[fizzie]

Watering it down is a good idea in the first instance but you really need to know how much he is drinking. It may be that he needs medication from the GP to help him get off it. I wouldn't advise removing it all unless you know how much he is drinking, withdrawal can be really vile

 

[piglet70]

Thanks everyone

Hi thanks everyone for your replies he isn't hooked on alcohol and I've left him with beer and wine that he can drink just not whisky he is drinking in the day because he's lost all sense of time I am going to talk to his doctor and maybe see about some restbite for him because I am chronically myself! exhausted depressed fed up and don't want to even go to see him or get out of bed even, but today I have to go to the doctors myself as I have a sinus infection and find out if he has a water infection too among other things, thanks again to everyone that replied your comments have been helpful to me x