Mum's been diagnosed with vascular dementia. She lives alone in a semi-sheltered flat 150 miles away. Her most distressing symptom has been an utter conviction that someone in the flat has a vendetta against her: he gains access mysteriously and does all sorts of mischief, ranging from rearranging her slippers (!) to playing music through the bookcase and spying on her. Her psychiatrist prescribed respiridone in the hope that this would dampen down the hallucinations/confabulations. She hasn't been on it long (2 weeks) but it seems to have done nothing to alleviate her distress, complete obsession and downright fear. Recently, just before Christmas she became utterly disoriented, not knowing where she was or anything and I suspected a UTI which was confirmed and now she's on an a/b. I have visited over Christmas and returned yesterday. My daughter had gone on the 22nd and stocked the fridge but when I arrived the toilet was blocked and the floor running with urine (Happy Christmas!), she was dishevelled and disoriented in bed and had clearly eaten little. She cheered up visibly while we were there and she continues the ab. I'll have her urine checked on Tues.
What I want advice on is how to proceed. I don't think Mum is able to look after herself at all now: dirty, uncut nails,semi-dressed, losing weight rapidly- and her obsession is literally all encompassing. She has zilch quality of life and I have a teaching job in another county and a daughter still dependent on me here. I feel I'm bailing out a sinking ship. The CPN thinks she needs an emergency reassessment of her needs which I think means she thinks Mum needs 24/7 care. I tend to agree.Without carers going in twice a day she'd not take her tablets or eat ANYTHING.Until fairly recently it was hoped that she might go to extra support housing but I doubt they'd take her now or if it'd be practical anyway. Things weren't helped by her friend ringing me up this morning to say that she'd asked her to promise 'not to let C put me in a home'. What the hell should I, could I do?ANY advice gratefully received.
Aloysius
What I want advice on is how to proceed. I don't think Mum is able to look after herself at all now: dirty, uncut nails,semi-dressed, losing weight rapidly- and her obsession is literally all encompassing. She has zilch quality of life and I have a teaching job in another county and a daughter still dependent on me here. I feel I'm bailing out a sinking ship. The CPN thinks she needs an emergency reassessment of her needs which I think means she thinks Mum needs 24/7 care. I tend to agree.Without carers going in twice a day she'd not take her tablets or eat ANYTHING.Until fairly recently it was hoped that she might go to extra support housing but I doubt they'd take her now or if it'd be practical anyway. Things weren't helped by her friend ringing me up this morning to say that she'd asked her to promise 'not to let C put me in a home'. What the hell should I, could I do?ANY advice gratefully received.
Aloysius