New member

Aphra

Registered User
Jun 18, 2015
2
0
Hi I am new to Talking Point. My mother has dementia and my dad is caring for her at home at the moment. They are 84 and 81 respectively. I live around 100 miles away and find it very difficult to give the support I think my dad needs. The local dementia team have now become involved and this is a great relief for my dad who has insisted on soldiering on without outside help for a few years now. Mum has real trouble with hallucinations as well as depression, anger and aggressive behaviour towards my dad. Mum has had an initial assessment and been prescribed an anti- psychotic drug to try. I have read such a lot of negative stuff about these drugs and am a bit worried. However if they work and alleviate a bit of the stress for dad that would be a good thing. I also feel such a lot of guilt - because I live a long way away from them and can't help enough, I leave too much to my dad and I know if it came to it I would not be able to cope with looking after mum at home myself. Sorry this is a bit self centred. I would love to hear other people's views on the use of anti psychotic drugs in particular.
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
73,996
0
72
Dundee
Hi. Welcome to TP.

I have no experience to help but just wanted to say welcome. I'm there will be others along who have experience to help.
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,443
0
Kent
Hello Aphra

From my experience, antipsychotic drugs are only given as a last resort , when all other strategies for coping with aggressive behaviour caused by anger , anxiety depression and fear have failed to improve the most distressing symptoms of dementia.

If they have been suggested for your mum they may help your dad keep her at home. It is why they were prescribed for my husband. Sadly there can be severe side effects after long term use and it has to be decided which is the lesser of two evils.

We have to face the fact dementia is a progressive disease with no cure to date. Some of the symptoms of dementia are distressing to experience and distressing to witness. Anything which helps, in my opinion is justified because these symptoms do not go away by themselves.

It must be really hard for you caring from a distance.
 

Aphra

Registered User
Jun 18, 2015
2
0
From my experience, antipsychotic drugs are only given as a last resort , when all other strategies for coping with aggressive behaviour caused by anger , anxiety depression and fear have failed to improve the most distressing symptoms of dementia.

If they have been suggested for your mum they may help your dad keep her at home. It is why they were prescribed for my husband. Sadly there can be severe side effects after long term use and it has to be decided which is the lesser of two evils.

We have to face the fact dementia is a progressive disease with no cure to date. Some of the symptoms of dementia are distressing to experience and distressing to witness. Anything which helps, in my opinion is justified because these symptoms do not go away by themselves.

It must be really hard for you caring from a distance.

Thank you for your helpful comments. Visited mum today - she is on day 3 of the tablets. I thought she looked a "bit out of it" but as the day moved on she was relating well in our group, joining in the conversation, walking better and hardly sniping at dad at all. Nurses have been calling in from the dementia team to monitor her reaction to the tablets so I feel a bit better about their decision to prescribe them.
 

JayGun

Registered User
Jun 24, 2013
291
0
With all these medicines I think it's wait and see and then weigh up the pros and cons. I'm just glad that they're getting some help when so many don't seem to be able to access it.

Welcome to the group lovely. There are many on here in the same boat as you and trying to help from a distance. xx