Medication question

[Jessie107]

We have just been given my mums diagnosis, which is alzhiemers.
She is 76 and although we do not live with her, between myself, sister and brother we care for her at home.
Her behaviour though can be quite difficult to cope with as she does get quite verbally aggressive, especially when we are trying to wash her hair (which isn't often) and sometimes for no reason.
We are going to be offered medication now but I know my mum will refuse it, the lady from the memory clinic said she will decline quicker if she refuses to take it.
So, my question is can I use the health power of attorney to override my mum, as we want her to have the medication and I don't believe she has the capacity to make this decision as to what is going to benefit her now.
They won't prescribe med until they have seen her and agrees to it.
Which is weird considering she has alzhiemers!
I have had to do this once before with her G. P when she refused antidepressants, he just put them in her blister pack and she was none the wiser.
Appreciate any advice.
Jessie

 

[Raggedrobin]

This is an interesting question and I don't know the answer, sorry. but a couple of points - it sounds as if what you are suggesting is to give her this medicine in some sort of covert way, I presume? With various health people involved we decided to do this for my mother, to give her medication to calm her and help her sleep at a point when she was very agitated. Power of attorney didn't come into it - she was in a nursing home and they had to get written permission from her GP and I also agreed to it. But certainly in that situation they wouldn't give it without an official medical note being made.

The other thing is that I think the intention of the drug has to be considered from an ethical point of view. Sometimes it may be the case that if someone refuses a drug that might slow their decline, is this necessarily a good thing or might it sometimes it be better for someone to decline naturally? I am just wondering about this in a general way, Jessie, not just your situation, and I realise it may sound a little harsh. However I also understand the frustration of trying to administer drugs to someone which will help them and which they no longer have the rational thinking to understand. Difficult.

By the way, we ended up powdering up Mum's drugs and putting them in jam on toast that she habitually ate, the jam seemed to stop any nasty tastes coming through. Also she eventually got through the phase of refusing drugs and took them without complaint but she was in the anti-medication phase for about a year.

 

[Shedrech]

hi Jessie107
maybe put all this in writing to the consultant involved, with copies to your mum's GP and other relevant medics - then at least you have given everyone a clear indication of how your mum is likely to react and your own thoughts, as her daughter and Attorney (who has the right to be consulted and have their thoughts given consideration, but it is the Consultant who has final say and has to act in your mum's best overall interests)
given that the GP has already given authority to give some meds covertly, I doubt there'll be a problem - it may well be that the Consultant will be able to put it all to your mum in a way she can accept
some meds can be given as a liquid so mixed with a drink, or powder to mix in food, or as a patch on the skin - maybe ask about this - do check before grinding up any pills, as some are meant only to be taken as tablets for slow release and can act differently if powdered ie much faster release
I appreciate the general concerns over meds to 'slow progression' - for me, my dad was so much more settled, so much less anxious when taking his anti-depressant and the Donepezil for Alzheimer's - it was more the consideration of his quality of life that I was concerned about, rather than thinking of holding back symptoms or prolonging his life

I wonder how you are trying to wash your mum's hair - dad couldn't cope with water over his face or in his eyes, it frightened him, so I gave up washing his hair in the shower - I'd either wash it over a basin, hairdresser style or use flannels, which is easier with his short hair than for someone with longer hair - and there are dry shampoos available, so no water involved

best wishes

 

[Jessie107]

Thank you for the replys.
I think I might ring the memory clinic and try to speak to the doctor and explain the situation before she sees my mum.
It's even going to be stressful getting her to the appointment as she hates going there and when I mentioned to her before about taking medication for her memory problems she point blank refused.
Also she doesn't know she has alzhiemers as she always said that she didn't want to know what was wrong with her, so I just refer to it as memory problems.
If they agree to giving her the medication without her permission, it wouldn't be a problem getting her to take it as it would be in her blister pack with her other three meds and she would just take what we give her.
We just want her to be helped as she is quite inpatient, agitated, Restless and aggressive, must be awful for her to feel like this.
It's very stressful for us too looking after her we are doing our very best for her.
Regards
Jessie