Hi everyone, I haven't been on here for a long while, we were muddling along okay, but now I need to ask if anybody can help me or offer some advise please.
I will cut is short! My Mum was diagnosed with mixed dementia in March 2011. In July 2011 we filed for the 'financial' Power of Attorney. The solicitor advised us that as i am my Mum's next of kin, the 'health and welfare' one was an unecessary expense.
Since her diagnosis, my Mum has been very open about her feelings for her illness, and has told me, members of my family, doctors and CPN that 'I don't want to be here anymore, I am ready to go now'. She knew what lay ahead as she had watched a close friend slowly deteriorate over 4 years due to Alzheimers.
In January 2013, my Mum was found on the beach in heavy snow. Obviously she was taken to hospital with hyperthermia, but they never really found anything else wrong with her. The doctors were constantly asking me why was my Mum so 'down', it almost became obsessive with them. After a week in hospital I discharged her as it was doing her no good at all being in that environment.
She continued to be very subdued when she returned home, then on May 31st 2013 she took to her bed refusing to get up and refusing food, although she would drink a glass of water a day. Eventually she was admitted to hospital and spent many months there, nearly dying three times from totally unrelated conditions.
At the beginning of October she moved into a Nursing Home. She is chair/bed bound, doubly incontinent but can just about feed herself, sometimes needing a bit of help. She doesn't really speak but I think that is purely because she is very withdrawn and depressed.
For a number of weeks now, she has refused to take her medication. She has a nasty cough and at the beginning of May they though she had a TIA.
I was told today that the GP has had no luck persuading her to take her medication and he has referred her to the CPN (who discharged her some months ago). The Clinical Nurse Manager has suggested that they should crumble her tablets into her food and says she needs permission from the GP to do so.
So - my question/predicament is -
I believe my Mum knows exactly what she is doing by refusing to take her medication.
What is the CPN going to do? is she going to try to determine Mental Capacity?
If she decides she does NOT have Mental Capacity, can they force her to take her medication, and do I have any input as next of kin and being aware of her wishes?
If she decides she DOES have Mental Capacity, are they bound to honour my Mum's decision to not take her medication?
This sounds such an awful thing to ask. I love my Mum, but it is just hurting so much to see her the way she is. She is really well looked after but her dignity has gone due to her illness, not her care and she's not my Mum anymore.
Can anybody help? Either with the legality of this and/or from personal experience?
Thank you in advance.
I will cut is short! My Mum was diagnosed with mixed dementia in March 2011. In July 2011 we filed for the 'financial' Power of Attorney. The solicitor advised us that as i am my Mum's next of kin, the 'health and welfare' one was an unecessary expense.
Since her diagnosis, my Mum has been very open about her feelings for her illness, and has told me, members of my family, doctors and CPN that 'I don't want to be here anymore, I am ready to go now'. She knew what lay ahead as she had watched a close friend slowly deteriorate over 4 years due to Alzheimers.
In January 2013, my Mum was found on the beach in heavy snow. Obviously she was taken to hospital with hyperthermia, but they never really found anything else wrong with her. The doctors were constantly asking me why was my Mum so 'down', it almost became obsessive with them. After a week in hospital I discharged her as it was doing her no good at all being in that environment.
She continued to be very subdued when she returned home, then on May 31st 2013 she took to her bed refusing to get up and refusing food, although she would drink a glass of water a day. Eventually she was admitted to hospital and spent many months there, nearly dying three times from totally unrelated conditions.
At the beginning of October she moved into a Nursing Home. She is chair/bed bound, doubly incontinent but can just about feed herself, sometimes needing a bit of help. She doesn't really speak but I think that is purely because she is very withdrawn and depressed.
For a number of weeks now, she has refused to take her medication. She has a nasty cough and at the beginning of May they though she had a TIA.
I was told today that the GP has had no luck persuading her to take her medication and he has referred her to the CPN (who discharged her some months ago). The Clinical Nurse Manager has suggested that they should crumble her tablets into her food and says she needs permission from the GP to do so.
So - my question/predicament is -
I believe my Mum knows exactly what she is doing by refusing to take her medication.
What is the CPN going to do? is she going to try to determine Mental Capacity?
If she decides she does NOT have Mental Capacity, can they force her to take her medication, and do I have any input as next of kin and being aware of her wishes?
If she decides she DOES have Mental Capacity, are they bound to honour my Mum's decision to not take her medication?
This sounds such an awful thing to ask. I love my Mum, but it is just hurting so much to see her the way she is. She is really well looked after but her dignity has gone due to her illness, not her care and she's not my Mum anymore.
Can anybody help? Either with the legality of this and/or from personal experience?
Thank you in advance.
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