Respridone & Diazepam

[andyst13]

Afternoon,
My Mum has Vascular Dementia was sectioned (under section 2) about 3 weeks ago after violent incidents at her care home (bless her she has only been there 2 weeks) and was admitted to a MH unit for assessment. They prescribed Respridone & Diazepam. Mum has continued to not cooperate and has been physically violent with staff on several occasions.

I had a phone call yet from the care team and Mum has now been placed on a section 3. They have also increased her meds to 1.5mg respridone / 7mg diazepam each day. She also has a night time sedative.

From my point of view, this seems just too much sedation. Whenever I speak to Mum she is incoherent and slurs her words. Before entering into the care home & MH unit, she lived independently and was able to have a conversation, but would struggle to find the odd word, but able to chat.

I raised my concerns with the doctor and they said to give it time, as at the moment Mum is refusing 'scheduled' meds, so they were having to restrain her and give her inter muscular injections. hence why she sounds so drugged up. The doctor was hopeful that if they can get Mum to take her meds when she should, then the side effects should subside. I am doubtful.

It sounds completely harrowing for Mum and I can only imagine how scared she is right now. I am unable to see my Mum as it is an isolation ward, due to COVID. I don't know what to do or how to escalate my concerns with someone who will listen to how Mum was about a month ago. They don't seem very interested. I don't feel that they have looked into what is causing this behaviour as it only started in her second week at the home. This is not something that happened when she lived at home & had carers coming in to make her meals, give medication etc.

Can anyone offer any advice on what I can do?

Your advice as always is appreciated.

 

[Shedrech]

hi @andyst13
what a worry

I have no personal experience, but wonder whether Admiral Nurses may be able to help you
An Admiral Nurse is a Specialist Dementia Nurse | Dementia UK

and the advisors on the Support Line have a lot of knowledge and are really helpful
Dementia Connect support line | Alzheimer's Society

 

[Pacucho]

Hello,
I see you have already received good advice, and I hope you have contacted the Dementia Connect support line.
I have no experience in what your mum is going through in terms of being sectioned.
As regards your mum suddenly acting out of character one causal factor might be the change of living environment, as you mention she was only in the home for a couple of weeks.
As regards your mum refusing medication I know from personal experience in caring for my late mum, who also had vascular dementia, this can happen. In my mum's case it wasn't that she was refusing the medication; instead it is the effect her dementia had in not enabling her to understand (and remember) she needed to take it.
The medical people who are trying to help your mum should be taking these issues into account.
As regards them not really listening to you do NOT give up. What you need to try and do is create as a good a relationship as possible with your mum's clinicians, and I know this can be very hard at times. They should understand the importance of involving you in your mum's care, and perhaps you can remind them in a nice way of this. As a reference here is something you can remind them of: Triangle of Care.
Hope this helps,
Paco

 

[andyst13]

Hello,
I see you have already received good advice, and I hope you have contacted the Dementia Connect support line.
I have no experience in what your mum is going through in terms of being sectioned.
As regards your mum suddenly acting out of character one causal factor might be the change of living environment, as you mention she was only in the home for a couple of weeks.
As regards your mum refusing medication I know from personal experience in caring for my late mum, who also had vascular dementia, this can happen. In my mum's case it wasn't that she was refusing the medication; instead it is the effect her dementia had in not enabling her to understand (and remember) she needed to take it.
The medical people who are trying to help your mum should be taking these issues into account.
As regards them not really listening to you do NOT give up. What you need to try and do is create as a good a relationship as possible with your mum's clinicians, and I know this can be very hard at times. They should understand the importance of involving you in your mum's care, and perhaps you can remind them in a nice way of this. As a reference here is something you can remind them of: Triangle of Care.
Hope this helps,
Paco

Thank you @Pacucho for your advice. The clinicians have now changed Mum's medication as it was making her worse and will now be putting her medication in her food covertly, as she is under section 3. She has become incredibly suspicious that 'people' are trying to kill her. Fingers crossed the new meds work and she has some calm. She must be incredible exhausted from being so agitated and angry all day / night.

 

[andyst13]

hi @andyst13
what a worry

I have no personal experience, but wonder whether Admiral Nurses may be able to help you
An Admiral Nurse is a Specialist Dementia Nurse | Dementia UK

and the advisors on the Support Line have a lot of knowledge and are really helpful
Dementia Connect support line | Alzheimer's Society

Thank you @Shedrech. They were very helpful. The clinicians have now changed Mum's meds so fingers crossed these will have a positive effect.