Help! Mum (82) has dementia and my 83yr old Dad is her primary caregiver. He administers her insulin and always has. Recently she's started to point blank refuse her insulin injection and gets quite determined/aggressive about it. Any suggesstions/tips? She's also a nightmare at sleeping and often stays sat downstairs all night and refuses to go to bed, its taking its toll on Dad now
Type 1 diabetes and dementia
- Thread starter Mazza121
- Start date
Hello @Mazza121 You can only seek medical advice about your mum`s refusal to have her insulin injection.
Does your dad have any support? If not it may be time to get carers in.
There is a possibility that if your mum sees someone with what could present as a nurse's uniform, she may accept the insulin.
Does your dad have any support? If not it may be time to get carers in.
There is a possibility that if your mum sees someone with what could present as a nurse's uniform, she may accept the insulin.
Hi, no we dont have any support at the moment, Dad does most of it and i help out evenings/weekends. Diabetes and Dementia on their own are bad enough, but a bad combination to have! Didn't want medical advice, just if others had similar issues and how they overcame them.
I dont think carers would be allowed to inject someone with insulin. I think it would have to be a nurse. Would the District Nurses be able to do this? You could ask your GP.
You could also try the route of giving medication to calm her down before giving the injection.
You could also try the route of giving medication to calm her down before giving the injection.
I took on Mums, took some perseverance and when I was not well, District nurses had to do it. I didnt hurry to tell them I was welll again & let them carry on.
Fortunately she wasnt difficult about it, just didnt do it/see the need.
Contact Drs surgery.
She cant,Wont lt dad, what the plan?
Fortunately she wasnt difficult about it, just didnt do it/see the need.
Contact Drs surgery.
She cant,Wont lt dad, what the plan?
Some people with dementia become resistant to any sort of personal interaction, whether it's washing or administering meds. It's as though they see it as an attack and go into panic/fight mode.
Often it's a turning point for moving someone to a care home. Otherwise I'd agree that getting the DN to come in and do the injections would be good. What you don't want is your mum completely turning against your dad over this. (But please get him some help!)
Often it's a turning point for moving someone to a care home. Otherwise I'd agree that getting the DN to come in and do the injections would be good. What you don't want is your mum completely turning against your dad over this. (But please get him some help!)
Thanks...i do think DNs are the answer, more often than not Mum will reluctantly have it, but you're right...Dad needs help, more than i can give ?
Hi @Mazza121, if the insulin is being injected via a syringe it may help to change to a pen device that looks less threatening. The length of the needle can also cause worry - if your mum is slim it may be possible to use a shorter one. If the GP surgery has a GP or nurse that specialises in diabetes care they should be able to help look at the options with you and your dad. If not they could refer you to the local diabetes specialist nurses who are likely to have come across this before.
If your mum is anxious about a lot of other things also, the GP may consider medication to help her.
If your mum is anxious about a lot of other things also, the GP may consider medication to help her.
